SEEN AND HEARD: SEPTICFLESH, KYPCK, PROFANE OMEN

I’m in catch-up mode for new things. This is the second round-up of news and new music for today, and there will probably be a third. The first one is here. The following collection should keep you off-balance.

SEPTICFLESH

Yes, it appears that the band have decided to join the two words of their name into one, but a rose by any other name will smell just as sweet. Or, in this case, will sound just as sweet. I saw this announcement on the band’s Facebook page this morning:

“We have completed the recordings of our upcoming full length album. The album will consists of 10 songs that were recorded once again at Devasoundz Studios Athens Greece and at Prague with the collaboration of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. The album will be released this summer via Season of Mist for Europe and via Prosthetic Records for America.

“We are really exhausted, but also very proud from the result. We worked very hard with Logan Mader (former MACHINE HEAD and SOULFLY guitarist that has worked considering album sound, with bands as CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, FEAR FACTORY, GOJIRA) to bring you the ultimate death metal soundtrack for your darkest dreams. The compositions are progressive with a lot of emotional peaks, while at the same time the songs sound very aggressive. Also we had the chance to work for the first time with a full children choir, beside the regular adult choir, and that helped us dive deeper into darker cinematic atmospheres.”

A symphony orchestra! An adult choir! A children’s choir! Darker cinematic atmospheres! Huzzah!

(And by coincidence, Septicflesh are about to embark on a Japanese tour with none other than an Italian band we featured in today’s first round-up — Eyeconoclast — along with the awesome Svart Crown from France.)

https://www.facebook.com/septicfleshband

 

KYPCK

KYPCK are a Finnish doom band, but their name is Russian (the cyrillic spelling of “Kursk”), they sing in Russian, and the lyrical themes of their music often focus on aspects of Russian history and culture. Their new album, which will be released this coming March by the Ranka Kustannus label, is entitled Имена на стене — or to use Western spelling, Imena Na Stene (“the names on the wall”). Thanks to a tip from Station Dysthymia’s bassist/vocalist “B”, I discovered two songs from the album that went up for streaming on SoundCloud yesterday — “Deti Birkenau” and “Imya Na Stene”.

“Deti Birkenau” appears to take as its subject the death of children in the Birkenau concentration camp during World War II. It’s a moody, melancholy song with a beautiful melody. It begins slowly, anchored by granite-heavy bass chords and contrasting lead guitar notes that ring like bells, with the vocalist’s baritone voice adding emotional resonance to the music. But before the song ends, the tempo quickens, the mood brightens, and you’ll start nodding your head — I guarantee it.

“Imya Na Stene” again blends those heavy doom chords and more ethereal guitar notes, driving yet another infectious melody, but this time the vocalist shows his range by reaching skyward. And man, the heavy-bottomed, stomping riff that rears its head in the song’s back half is a sure-fire headbang trigger.

My friend B called this music “doom pop”, and I think you’ll see why — but I’m digging it as much as he is.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kypck-Headquarters/122452041152865

 

PROFANE OMEN

Speaking of sure-fire headbang triggers, I give you “Sonic Wings”, the first full advance track from the new album by yet another Finnish band, Profane Omen. It comes in the form of a new lyric video, which you can see and hear below.

The song includes big slabs of beefy riff, acetylene guitar soloing, and a broad mix of vocal styles, from the death-metally to the power-metally. It chugs, it rocks, it races, it’s good.

“Sonic Wings” will appear on Reset, and the album is scheduled for release by Spinefarm on March 14 in Europe.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Profane-Omen/42711203429