Azusa – “Heavy Yoke”

 Posted by on October 27, 2018 at 22:39  No Responses »
Oct 272018
 

Azusa emerges from the relatively unknown, combining members of Extol, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Sea + Air into a frenetic, chaotic, powerful, heavy, and at times ethereal sonic blend that is everything you’d expect and more from this talent.

For those not paying attention to extreme music at all, Azusa is a new project from Christer Espevoll and David Husvik of Extol handling guitars and drums, Liam Wilson of The Dillinger Escape Plan on bass, and Eleni Zafiriadou of Sea + Air and ex-Jumbo Jet on vocals.  Certainly and unlikely combination of talent.  Back in 2014, Christer met David at a Benea Reach show and the two started jamming 6 months later.  During that time the two, who were The Dillinger Escape Plan fans, learned that Liam (from TDEP) was into their former band Extol and they reached out and the suddenly the band just needed a vocalist. After some failed attempts incorporating metal/thrash male vocalists, they shifted to looking at female vocalists remembering Eleni from her time with the hardcore band Jumbo Jet.  During the whole recording process the whole band only managed to be in the same room 5-6 times due to everyone’s commitments and life in various countries, but through the magic of the internet, it all came together.  For those wondering, yes, the band is looking to tour…

“Interstellar Hands” opens up the album and provides a great introduction to what is to come on the album within the first 40 seconds.  After a quick drum roll, the rest of the band comes in with a blinding, furious fast and short guitar riff only to settle into a quiet, interlude filled with clean guitars and Eleni Zafiriadou’s soft, smooth, airy vocals.  That calm is short-lived as the opening riff comes back in force backed by Eleni Zafiriadou’s loud, near ragged, screaming vocals.  The song itself takes many more twists and turns alternating between beautiful and calm and furious and fast.  The band member’s pedigrees come through in this song as one can hear elements of TDEP and Extol as well as the incredible musicianship and flawless production. Continue reading »

Azusa (Feat. Members of Extol, Sea+Air, The Dillinger Escape Plan) Releases Music Video for “Heavy Yoke” Title Track

 Posted by on October 19, 2018 at 01:19  No Responses »
Oct 192018
 

‘Heavy Yoke’ is the title track of Azusa‘s upcoming debut album. The video can be seen below.

Regarding the video, the band calls it “an abstract visual metaphor about habit loops, rewinding time, and loss of innocence,” adding, “Aesthetically, we were imaging what it would look like if Jonathan Glazer directed an episode of Twin Peaks.”

Members of Extol, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Sea + Air joined their creative forces and will sonically shock you with one of most experimental and mesmerizing releases of this year! Azusa’s debut album titled “Heavy Yoke” will be released on November 16 via Indie Recordings (Europe + the rest of the world) Solid State Records (North America), Ward Records (Asia). Continue reading »

Azusa (Feat. Members of Extol, Sea+ Air, The Dillinger Escape Plan) Signs with Indie Recordings, Releases First Single, ‘Interstellar Islands’

 Posted by on August 16, 2018 at 19:02  No Responses »
Aug 162018
 

Members of Extol, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Sea + Air joined their creative forces and will sonically shock you with one of most experimental and mesmerizing releases of this year! Azusa’s debut album titled “Heavy Yoke” will be released on November 16 via Indie Recordings (Europe + the rest of the world) Solid State Records (North America), Ward Records (Asia). Their debut video for their single ‘Interstellar Islands’ can be seen below.

With ‘Interstellar Islands’, Azusa takes you into an exploration of dissonant, eerie musical universes; it’s a trip to inner and outer space, an interstellar sensory experience.

A carnival of contrast, Azusa make captivating music with unconventional nerve. Uniting the complementary skills of its members, Azusa’s sound is a thrash-fusion tour de force. Can you imagine Kate Bush fronting Slayer; Death collaborating with Annette Peacock? These allegedly incongruent influences dissolve seamlessly in an alluring sonic alchemy. Continue reading »

In Vain – “Currents”

 Posted by on June 2, 2018 at 23:35  No Responses »
Jun 022018
 

Five years ago, In Vain released Ænigma, a complicated 60 minutes of progressive death/black metal and now In Vain returns with Currents, bringing an equally complex blend of metal styles that goes even beyond their previous release in a collection of songs showcasing songcraft and strong, heavy performances.

Given the progressive death/doom label and their home in Norway, expectations are high for In Vain, a band that has been around for at least 11 years.  In 2007, their debut album, The Latter Rain, was released and received critical acclaim as well as a sense of wonder over the epic feel of the album which featured nearly 20 additional musicians.  As is often the case with new bands, critics were not so fond of the bands sophomore release, Mantra,  in 2010.  For Ænigma and now Currents, the band brought in Jens Borgen (Opeth, Soilwork, Borknagar) to handle production and mixing duties and as expected the album had an impressive powerful sound. Guest musicians always seem to show up on In Vain albums and notable for Currents is that Matthew Kiichi Heafy of Trivium makes a guest appearance on “Soul Adventurer”.  As a driving theme for the album, the band talks about the shifts and changes happening in our time, from migrations and movements of people, traditions, and cultures to dramatic changes in lifestyles and traditions that challenges old patterns and create tensions and opportunities. Continue reading »

‘Halcyon Days’ Signs with ‘Indie Recordings,’ Announces New Album

 Posted by on April 28, 2018 at 23:29  No Responses »
Apr 282018
 

Indie Recordings has signed one of the Scandinavia’s most promising melodic metal & hardcore bands – Halcyon Days. The cutting-edge sextet is now ready to release their second full-length titled “Rain Soaked Pavements & Fresh Cut Grass,” which will be out on June 15th.

The band comments: “We are delighted to sign with Indie Recordings, joining the label of some of our favorite Norwegian bands such as Seigmen, Insense, Stonegard, Kvelertak. Indie Recordings have shown great belief in us so far, and we’re super stoked on showing you what have been working on for the last two years! Keep your eyes and ears open for our first single of the new record on the 4th of May, and our new album on the 15th of June.” Continue reading »

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