Friday, 23rd of February 2018, will witness the release of 'Interregnum', the 4th album and follow up to the ambitious concept suite 'The Regal Tribe' (2016), by Swedish self proclaimed 'primitive and progressive' death metallers USURPRESS. The album will be available via Agonia Records. Listen to the first single 'In Books Without Pages' below:
This time, core members Stefan Pettersson (vocals, lyrics), Påhl Sundström (guitars, music) and Daniel Ekeroth (bass, music) are joined by jazz-fusion drummer Stefan Hildman and ambient/trance keyboardist Erik Sundström, and the outcome astounded even the band itself. 'Interregnum' can be described as 'an unholy mix between Camel and Bolt Thrower, that somehow works flawlessly', so be prepared for something quite out of the ordinary. And out of this world.
The album was recorded and mixed in the world-renowned studio Dugout Productions (Soilwork, Behemoth, In Flames, Dark Funeral, etc.) in the band’s hometown of Uppsala, Sweden.
USURPRESS have made the following statement about the new album: 'This time we wanted to challenge the establish dogmas and indeed our own predetermined ideas of what makes death metal sound like death metal. We have taken notes from the history of heavy guitar driven music before the times of death metal, in fact; before the times of heavy metal. We have taken inspiration from the hard rock and prog rock movements of the early seventies and put a heavy death twist on it. For those who feel like retching at the sound of this; we can assure you that this is by all means a death metal album and not some silly retro 70-ties throwback 5 years too late for the trend. It’s simply Usurpress but slower, heavier and way more complex.'
Tracklist:
1. A Place in the Pantheon
2. Interregnum
3. In Books Without Pages
4. Late in the 11:th Hour
5. Ships of Black Glass (I: Shards, II: Black Echo)
6. The Iron Gates Are Melting
7. The Vagrant Harlot
Album formats:
- Digipack CD
- Black LP
- Gold LP (limit. to 125 copies)
- Digital
- T-shirt
Pre-order 'Interregnum':
CD/LP/TS:
http://agoniarecords.com/usurpress
Digital:
https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/interregnum
ONLINE
LINEUP
Stefan Pettersson - vocals
Påhl Sundström - guitars
Daniel Ekeroth - bass
Stefan Hildman (session) - drums
Erik Sundström (session) - keyboards
BIOGRAPHY
Usurpress is a death metal-band (of sorts) formed in Uppsala, Sweden, May 2010. The musical aim of founding members Steffe Pettersson (vocals), Påhl Sundström (guitar) and Calle Lönnberg (drums) was, and still is, to combine the bestiality of old death metal and the undying hate of true hardcore/punk.
The band was later joined by renowned death metal-expert Daniel Ekeroth (bass). The members all come from different musical backgrounds but their common ground is the love and understanding for all kinds of dark and aggressive underground music.
Usurpress has always written short, aggressive songs based around wierd, dissonant death metal riffs and raw, primitive d-beat drumming. It has to be said right now that this eclectic mixture of styles, spiced with handfuls of progrock and psychedelica, is not for everybody. However, most people will certainly enjoy their aggressive live performances.
The quartet’s debut offering, the 4-song demo simply called "Demo 2010", soon led to record deals with various European underground labels and so far the band has released the mini-LP "In Permanent Twilight" (2011) and the full length album "Trenches of the Netherworld" (2012). In addition to that, Usurpress has also found time to record split-7” with fellow Swedes Bombs of Hades and Pyramido as well as a 10”/mini-CD which is a split with international deathgrinders Bent Sea (members from Soilwork, Napalm Death, Aborted, etc).
However, their new album "Ordained", recorded in the spring of 2014 and released on Doomentia Records in September, is by far their most complex and diverse offering ever. On one hand, the prog influences are allowed to really show themselves and take up space in the songwriting, perhaps most notably in the orchestrated instrumental pieces featuring acoustic instruments. On the other, "Ordained" is without a doubt Usurpress’ fastest, heaviest and most violent recording.
The quartet from Uppsala recorded their 3rd album, entitled "The Regal Tribe", during the fall of 2015 under supervision of rising star producer Lawrence Mackrory (FKÜ, Darkane, etc). It was released in September 2016 on Agonia Records. "The Regal Tribe" saw Usurpress leave their deathcrust path for more uncharted territories. During the composing of the new album, the band was plagued by mental disorders/depressions and life threatening illnesses in the member’s immediate families, most notably vocalist/lyricist Stefan Pettersson’s battle with his bone marrow cancer. Therefore "The Regal Tribe" is a heavier and darker, yet more varied, complex and thoughtful effort than their previous albums. This concept album is a tragic story about life versus death, about vanity and the relentless passing of time.
Friday, 23rd of February 2018, will witness the release of "Interregnum", the band's 4th album. This time, core members Stefan Pettersson (vocals, lyrics), Påhl Sundström (guitars, music) and Daniel Ekeroth (bass, music) are joined by jazz-fusion drummer Stefan Hildman and ambient/trance keyboardist Erik Sundström, and the outcome astounded even the band itself. "Interregnum" can be described as "an unholy mix between Camel and Bolt Thrower, that somehow works flawlessly", so be prepared for something quite out of the ordinary. The album was recorded and mixed in the world-renowned studio Dugout Productions (Soilwork, Behemoth, In Flames, Dark Funeral, etc.) in Usurpress’ hometown of Uppsala, Sweden.
DISCOGRAPHY
Trenches of the Netherworld Full-length 2012
Ordained Full-length 2014
The Regal Tribe Full-length 2016
Interregnum Full-length 2018