Avant-garde metal warriors SYK carve a wide path through the wilderness of conventional music on their new album. On its second single, “the Cross”, the Italian avant-garde metal warriors draw us deeper inside the cavernous intellectual labyrinth that is eartHFlesh.
Watch the hard-hitting performance video for “the Cross”: https://youtu.be/ywgkp5p8YiA
eartHFlesh comes out May 10 on Season of Mist.
Pre-order & pre-save: https://orcd.co/sykearthfleshpresave
Marked with their signature streak of rich, heavy stylistic experimentation, “the Cross” is infused by SYK‘s spirit of rebellion. The song starts by assuming the form of tightly coiled tech-death, only for the riffs to rear into a crushing, distorted groove. “I reject your holy ornaments”, Stefano Ferrian growls before blackened melodic tremors and a concussive wave of blast beats bring the band to a deadly but melodic conclusion.
“‘the Cross’ is a symbol of transformation”, Stefano says. “Everything that was sublime in order to achieve a new mental universe”.
The video for “the Cross” peels back the song’s churning layers of production to reveal the beating heart of its creation – the band, in their most elemental form, locked into a chaotic but liberating rhythm. Here, within the flickering shadows and stark light, the raw, unadulterated essence of SYK’s rebellion is laid bare.
“This song is about leaving all the cancerous concepts we accepted and ingested from society in order to create something better for each creature existing on earth”, Stefano continues. “Violence is for criminals and perverted minds. Organized violence is for Nations led by criminals.
“The rage that’s put into “the Cross” is directed at all those leaders that are steering us to a quick destruction. Not just for ourselves, but also for all those creatures that has nothing to do with our unstableness.”
Early praise for eartHFlesh
“I haven’t heard an album that is this punishing, but also as intelligent as it is. Much of the album is reflective of formidable and burdensome guitar rhythms, and the band melds these bloody and raw abstract shapes into energetic omnipotence, with the hands of a skilled alchemist. This has to be a contender for “album of the year.” – Metal Temple (10/10)
Tracklist
1. I Am The Beast (6:02)
2. Where I Am Going There Is No Light (5:54)
3. I’ll Haunt You In Your Dreams (6:08)
4. eartHFlesh (5:42) [WATCH]
5. The Sermon (5:06)
6. The Cross (3:50)
7. For To Themselves I Left Them (4:20)
8. The Passing (8:14)
Total runtime: 45:17
syk is a metal band that came into existence in 2013 when Stefano Ferrian and Federico De Bernardi di Valserra decided to embark on a new musical venture following the disbandment of their previous project, .psychofagist. They were soon joined by the immensely talented vocalist Dalila Kayros, whose vocal skills left a deep impression on the band during live performances.
In May 2014, syk released their debut album titled Atoma through L’Inphantile Collective. The album caught the attention of Philip H Anselmo from Housecore Records, who not only expressed his appreciation for the band’s work but also offered them a deal for their second album. This second album, titled I-Optikon, was released on December 2, 2016, and was produced by Philip H Anselmo himself. The album was notable for its technical compositions that offered a unique and unparalleled listening experience, as Metal Trenches aptly described it.
Following the release of their second album, the band welcomed their long-time friend Marcello Cravini as a permanent member, taking on the role of the second guitarist. syk subsequently embarked on extensive tours across Europe in 2017 and 2018 and had the honour of being the official support act for GODFLESH during their Italian/Slovenian run in May 2018. Additionally, they also participated in the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the same year, further cementing their reputation as a promising metal act.
In 2019, Federico made the difficult decision to leave the band due to personal reasons, and shortly after, the global pandemic hit, disrupting the band’s search for a new drummer. However, towards the end of 2020, Mauro Maraldo joined syk as their new drummer, and with their lineup complete, they wasted no time in entering the studio to record their third album. This album, titled Pyramiden, was released on March 11th, 2022, through Housecore Records/Nuclear Blast. The album’s distinct and powerful character earned syk high praise, with MetalheadCommunity recognizing them as one of the most promising metal acts of the time.
Pyramiden received further acclaim when it was included in the ProgSpace Awards 2022 under the category of ‘Album of the Year 2022/Extreme Prog Category’, alongside esteemed acts like Fallujah, Allegaeon, Cult of Luna, and Conjurer. Unfortunately, soon after the album’s release, both Mauro and Dalila had to depart from the band due to personal reasons.
However, syk, known for their sonic evolution, decided to press on. Founding members Stefano and Marcello continued working on their fourth album while actively searching for new members. Alan La Roca joined the band as the bass player, solidifying the lineup, but the search for a drummer remained a challenge. It wasn’t until Federico Leone answered their call that the band found their new drummer. With the lineup in place consisting of Stefano Ferrian as the new frontman, guitarist, and main songwriter, Marcello Cravini on guitars, Alan La Roca on bass, and Federico Leone on drums, syk took on a new form.
In early 2023, syk caught the attention of Season Of Mist, who signed them for the release of their fourth album, eartHFlesh. This album not only marks the band’s latest offering but also signifies their first decade as a band. With a reinvigorated sound and an intensified sonic progression, syk continues to captivate listeners and solidify their place in the metal scene.
Recording Line-up
Stefano Ferrian – Guitars, Vocals
Marcello Cravini – Guitars, Ambient FX
Alan La Roca – Bass
Federico Leone – Drums
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