Meristem Find Metalcore Saviour

Photo credit: Sándor Bikali

Hungary has a history of high quality, innovative metal bands, so it was a surprise to find this metalcore act in the inbox. It’s not a genre that ever convinced me but this group mix it with melodic death metal, and water down the Linkin Park style emo gurning with some actual riffing. Their background as an instrumental band really comes through in the song structure and the imagination put into the music. That new EP could well be worth a listen.

More info and press blurb below.

Hungarian sextet Meristem release their new single 'Saviour' today, along with a slick music video directed by Sándor Bikali. Blurring the lines between progressive metal, metalcore and djent, 'Saviour' speaks of sin, regret, redemption and God. It is the band's first release since the 2022 EP Necrosis, and only their second release as a non-instrumental band.

Vocalist Tamás Stefán comments: "The song is kind of a dark imagination, where a loved one, a relative, or even our father is descending as God himself, and we feel so guilty and sinful that it makes us pray for death, or some kind of punishment. I think a lot of people have been to this dark state of mind when we feel really bad about the mistakes we made, and we are full of regret. 'Saviour' is about praying for redemption in a really dark way. I want to let people who feel like this know, that they are not alone, we've all been there. If someone struggles to make peace with themselves, they should know that there's always a way out, and we all can learn from the mistakes we make."

Meristem was originally founded by guitarist Bence Barkóczi as an instrumental solo project in late 2017. A renowned guitarist within the Hungarian music scene, Bence won a number of guitar contests including New Guitarist 2018 and Impress Bobo, an Ibanez guitar contest in 2018. Bence also had a top 10 finish in the Mayones-Neural DSP Solo Contest 2021.

As Bence began recruiting band members in the hope of performing in a more conventional lineup, 2020 saw the release of Meristem's debut full-length Dark Phase. The album was mixed by the band's new bassist Soma Schiszler (AWS, Harmed).

Subsequently joined by an additional guitarist, a drummer and two singers, Meristem decided to leave instrumental music behind as they released the Necrosis EP in 2022. While retaining its quintessential electronic music-infused guitar madness, the band's new sound is darker, and heavier.

The Slow Readers Club Modernise Ahead Of New Tour

Photo by Trust A Fox Photography here

From its retrofuturist EBM influenced opening, through an Irvine Welsh-style bridge, all the way to its euphoric arena rock climax, ‘Modernise’ is a fantastic teaser for the upcoming new album from Slow Readers Club.

Find info and tour dates below. Looking forward to seeing them back in Dublin!

One of the greatest self-made stories in contemporary British rock music and one of our biggest cult bands, The Slow Readers Club today share their new single ‘Modernise’. It’s the second track to preview the Manchester band’s new album ‘Knowledge Freedom Power’, which follows on February 24th. The record is their first full studio album since ‘The Joy Of The Return’ became their first to crash into the Top 10 in 2020.

As the opening track to ‘Knowledge Freedom Power’, ‘Modernise’ sets the agenda that emerges as the rest of the album unfolds. It presents a post-capitalist dystopia in which the demands of technology, automation and always-on work culture overwhelms the individual until prayer becomes the only possible salvation. And yet the album’s undercurrent of hope and defiance offers an alternative - it’s not too late to take a stand. Sonically it’s completely in tune with its subject matter, as ultra-precise electro beats and a buzzsaw industrial-synth riff fight for prominence with the raw humanity of Aaron Starkie’s vocal.

The band commented, “‘Modernise’ is about the constant need to learn and adapt to changing, it’s a bit of a techno fear song.”

As with the rest of the upcoming album, ‘Modernise’ was written by the band, with production from Joe Cross (Hurts,  Courteeners, Louis Tomlinson).

‘Knowledge Freedom Power’ was launched alongside its title track, which continued the critical acclaim and cult adoration that has become a hallmark of their career. Premiered by Chris Hawkins at 6 Music, the track received further airplay at Amazing Radio and XS Manchester, was added to Apple’s New in Alternative playlist, and received news coverage from Louder Than War, Live4Ever and Atwood, who described it as, “an exhilarating, energizing anthem that seeks to spread a little more light and love in the world.”

The two songs provide an insight into what to expect from the ‘Knowledge Freedom Power’ album. Its hybrid of strident synth-rock and anthemic alt-rock recall feels like a kindred spirit to Muse, White Lies and modern day Bloc Party as The Slow Readers Club step into a new future - both stylistically and thematically. While it’s a warning sign of the potential imbalance between mankind and machine, it’s also a positive declaration that the future is still ours to dictate. As we’ve seen in the past, using knowledge in the pursuit of freedom and power will be just as vital in the years to come.

FEBRUARY

5th - UK, Bury, The Met (Independent Venue Week show - SOLD OUT)

MARCH

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APRIL

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