Today Finnish extreme metallers ANZILLU – whose sound is punctuated by buzz-saw guitar riffs delivered with equal amounts of dexterous shredding and pummeling anthemic brute force – release their anticipated debut album, ‘Ex Nihilo,’ upon the masses. Thrashy, intense, infectiously catchy with melodic undertones and shout-along choruses, this album is seismic and relentless and demands to be heard.
”We’ve been working on this album for a good three years,”
explains guitarist Jesse Kämäräinen.
“First demoing and arranging the songs, then recording and mixing it at Sonic Pump Studios with Nino Laurenne (Amorphis, Wintersun, Lost Society, Lordi) and lastly working towards the release with M-Theory Audio. Finally, the day is here and we get to see how people will receive it. I’ve made some albums in my time and I’m proud of all of them, but this one I’m proud of the most. It took the most work and it paid off. In a certain way, the stars were aligned.”
The band has not been shy in wanting to let people hear their efforts and four singles and videos were released prior to street date showcasing the strength and depth of the album, and today marks a fifth video online for the blasting track “Mental Graveyard.”
Yes, there’s that much meat on the bone making for a strong, deep and confident debut.
“As for the new single ‘Mental Graveyard,’ I think it’s the strongest song on the album. It’s the best song I’ve ever written, hence I chose it to be the lead single for the album. If you only want to listen to one song from us, it’s this one,”
cites Jesse.
“I wanted to try my limits when writing this song and to do something atypical. I’d like to think I succeeded. Lyrically the song is about quitting a toxic relationship and realizing your own value. It has a lot of personal experience behind the lyrics, but I hope everyone in the same bad situation will realize that there’s always better options out there.”
“Mental Graveyard” follows “Discordia,” “Trumpets of War,” “Needles (On My Nerves),” and “The Cleansing Flame” all available to view on the band’s channel www.youtube.com/Anzillu showcasing the Finnish group’s power and impact evident on the album, ‘Ex Nihilo.’
Out today on Digipak CD and all digital platforms, a limited edition magenta colored vinyl (300 copies) will be available in the coming months (due to pressing plant delays). You can find links HERE https://lnk.to/Anzillu or order direct at www.anzillufinland.bandcamp.
Captured at the famed Sonic Pump Studios with Nino Laurenne (Amorphis, Ensiferum, Omnium Gatherum) recording and mixing, mastering by Svante Forsbäck (Volbeat, Soulfly, Kalmah) and artwork by Mad Matt Design, ‘Ex Nihilo’ is sure to be sonically pleasing.
‘Ex Nihilo’ tracklisting:
Needles (On My Nerves)
Mental Graveyard
Trumpets Of War
The Cleansing Flame
Discordia
Dauntless
Splinter in the Mind’s Eye
Vultures
Ex Nihilo
“We also get to tour in Finland supporting the album, which I’m looking very much forward to. It has been too long, but now we get to do it in a great company.”
Upcoming Live Shows –
1/28 – Ilokivi – Jyväskylä, Finland
2/3 – La Barre – Joensuu, Finland
2/4 – Ottopoika – Kuopia, Finland
2/10 – YO-talo – Tampere, Finland
2/17 – Kuudes Linja – Helsinki, Finland
2/18 – Music Bar Haukka – Kotka, Finland
2/24 – Rock Bear – Vantaa, Finland
2/25 – Bar15 – Seinäjoki, Finland
Though the band itself is new, the musicians comprising ANZILLU are not inexperienced. The new group – whose name is inspired by the ancient Sumerian word for “abomination” – was formed in 2019 by guitarist Jesse Kämäräinen after the dissolution of his previous group Inkvisitor, which released two records of thrash-influenced extreme metal between 2015 and 2018. Kämäräinen had already demoed an album’s worth of new material at the time of that development, and went on to bring in a battery of fellow notables that had also been making their names within Finnish metal circles to form ANZILLU. The searing vocal talents of Teemu Kemppainen (Argent Void), the thunderous bass of Rasmus Kantonen, and the death metal crunch of fellow guitarist Sami Katajainen (GAF) join Kämäräinen’s six-string powers to deliver a blistering assault of aural senses.
ANZILLU is:
Jesse Kämäräinen – guitars
Teemu Kemppainen – vocals
Sami Katajainen – guitar
Rasmus Kantonen – bass
For more information:
www.facebook.com/anzillufi
www.instagram.com/anzillufi
www.anzillufinland.bandcamp.
www.m-theoryaudio.com
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