Azusa signs to Solidstate (Thrash band with female vocals featuring members of Extol and The Dillinger Escape Plan)

by Hardcore Christian Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:42 pm

From SS Facebook:

http://smarturl.it/azusaii

Azusa is: Eleni Zafiriadou on vox (Sea + Air), Liam Wilson on Bass (The Dillinger Escape Plan), Christer Espevoll on guitars and David Husvik on drums (Extol). 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.

by Frozen Fire Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:48 pm

Absolutely amazing! Love David's drumming and it's so good to hear him back. He makes the drums their own major instrument.

Fantastic track. I'm preordering this.

by Hardcore Christian Fri Aug 17, 2018 10:47 pm

Frozen Fire wrote:Absolutely amazing! Love David's drumming and it's so good to hear him back. He makes the drums their own major instrument.

Fantastic track. I'm preordering this.

I definetly will as well!

by 11razorwire Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:47 am

I like it.

by Superjuice Wed Aug 22, 2018 3:30 pm

This is the dissonant style that Extol flirted with on a couple of songs like "Human Frailties Grave" and "Shelter" with female vocals. Skipper songs on the albums IMO. Not my thing.

by Lex Metalis Tue Oct 23, 2018 2:32 pm

Intially it should be said that he would have no difficulty in saying that this is a new Extol album, and this comes not only from the fact that Azusa's driving force is on the guitars of Christer Espevoll and on the drums of David Husvik, both with passage through the Norwegian band. Christer still bears the fact of being the founder and brother of vocalist Peter Espevoll, so it is almost impossible not to associate them with his former band.

Does that make Azusa a soulless group and live in the shadow of its "mother band?" That thought could not be more wrong, as there are still 2 members in the band, bassist Liam Wilson (formerly The Dillinger Scape Plan) and vocalist Eleni Zafiriadou, formerly part of the indie / pop duo Sea + Air.

And it is with the sweet Eleni that the Azusa gets much of their experience. His vocals range from calm, serene, soft and angelic to powerful, agonizing and disturbing watercress. A pleasant surprise to know the ability of the same to do such vocal unfolding, since in its first band the sonority was as different and heterogeneous with the metal as the water is with the oil.

The production of "Heavy Yoke" is a luxury. Clean, crystalline, giving an absurd gain of timbre and presence to the bass, something that was not only relegated the guitars and drums. The factor of the same presenting a fluid hearing and nothing tiresome is something that is worth to be explicit also.

It is even difficult to pinch an individual highlight. The finger itches to cite both the work of David Husvik, a true Hydra on drums and that in addition to mastering and applying elements of various styles of metal in the compositions also abuses of jazz and fusion, as that of Christer that despite a time at the inn shows that the class and elegance of ancient times is not only intact but even enhanced. But it would be a lot of cowardice because what we witnessed made by both the challenging and cohesive lines of the bass and the vocal is so superb and imposing that the real highlight of Azusa is the existence of the band itself.

The chance to see a new Extol album is almost nil, but thanks to the skies that the group have produced 2 excellent fruits, the Fleshkiller (you can check the review for the debut album here> https://bit.ly/2R8DzYs ) and Azusa. Both with similarities, both with their uniqueness. Both offering the world's finest quality music.

Originally published by Metal Na Lata in portuguese:
http://metalnalata.com.br/site/azusa-heavy-yoke-2018

by Frozen Fire Tue Oct 23, 2018 3:56 pm

You know, I've held off on preordering this because I want to make sure it's grounded in faith. With the name having a notable bend that way and two former Extol members it seems like it would go that way but I know nothing of the faith of the other two. If it's just a secular project I may not bother. That's just my bend for music. Waiting for a more clear picture but still pumped at what's been released thus far.

by eatbugs Tue Oct 23, 2018 5:50 pm

I'm like Frozen Fire 100%.

by messiaen77 Mon Nov 05, 2018 11:32 am

Given that its on Solid State, I'd be willing to say it is "grounded in faith," but not necessarily overt about it.

by Frozen Fire Fri Nov 09, 2018 10:10 pm

This is streaming online. I put the link below. I listened through this tonight but not well enough to truly hear the lyrics well. Still waiting on that. I have to say this is right up my alley. Absolutely love the sound! It's like Extol "Synergy" mixed with newer Cynic with the female vocal twist. Lot's of amazing things going on!

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/08/664665097/first-listen-azusa-heavy-yoke?fbclid=IwAR1lthU57Ra8ywN_XCUrV0mvRyE2BEEur9ARsn2CFKgBRGw91_CfikH4jUI

by Guitar Noir Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:42 am

The band sounds amazing. I pre-ordered the album. Great to see Christer back in action.

by Frozen Fire Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:07 pm

Excerpt from a recent interview on that faith question:

Metal Injection: You and Christer come from a Christian background with Extol. How much input did you guys have as far as the lyrical content goes, and are any Christian themes present?

David Husvik: Well, most people know where I come from, and I can only speak for myself; my faith will always affect my creative outcome. I simply can't hide it. But in Azusa we are four individuals with different background and stories, and we all contribute to the songwriting. If you go in and “dissect” our songs, you'll probably be able to trace all four of us. Without going into detail, I can confirm that some of the lyrics can be categorized as “Christian theme,” but maybe in a different direction that one might expect. As you get older and gain more life experience, certain aspects of faith/religion that you earlier took for granted needs to be challenged; life and faith seems less black and white now than in the youth."

http://www.metalinjection.net/latest-news/david-husvik-extol-shares-the-genesis-behind-new-project-azusa

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Azusa signs to Solidstate (Thrash band with female vocals featuring members of Extol and The Dillinger Escape Plan)

Azusa signs to Solidstate (Thrash band with female vocals featuring members of Extol and The Dillinger Escape Plan)

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