Local deathcore band Seraph will be releasing their fourth album, Embrace Your Demise, with a CD release party at The Camel on March 30. But right now, we’ve got the premiere of an exclusive new track from the album, “From Mortal To God,” for your listening pleasure.
Local deathcore band Seraph will be releasing their fourth album, Embrace Your Demise, with a CD release party at The Camel on March 30. But right now, we’ve got the premiere of an exclusive new track from the album, “From Mortal To God,” for your listening pleasure. Vocalist Mike McIlyar let us know that Embrace Your Demise is “big for us, since our original lineup is back together.” That’s not the only reason, either–the band has made some modifications to their equipment as well. “We have switched to 8-string guitars and got sponsored by Dunlop Strings,” he explains. “We were one of the first bands to test their 8-string line. This really opened us up to expand our sound.”
From what we hear on “From Mortal To God,” the expansion mainly took place on the low end. This is a seriously heavy track, with some insanely downtuned riffing from guitarists Nick Rockefeller and Nick Bowanko matched by some seriously deep growls from McIlyar. The breakdown halfway through the song hits with a bass jolt that stands out on the Soundcloud waveform as the loudest thing in the whole song, and sounds particularly brutal through headphones. But those heavy mosh riffs only land as hard as they do because of the band’s skill at faster tempos, and drummer Nik White’s blastbeats drive a series of speedy riffs that keep this tune entertaining throughout. [Three Ni(c)ks in this band… does that get confusing at rehearsal?]
Lyrically, McIlyar explores themes related to humankind’s attempts to transcend mortality. “The lyrics are basically about a warrior on a journey to find a “fountain of youth” that transforms him into a God,” he explains. “It’s a fantasy concept telling the tale of his quest, and how the gods have watched for centuries, waiting for the chosen one to survive the journey.” Fantastic fictional tales are far from the only subject matter McIlyar explores on the new album, though. “When I write lyrics I just go off what’s on my mind,” he says. “This album has everything from ranting on social media [to] my distaste with the youth of America. Or mythological quests.” He laughs and adds, “I was listening to a lot of Amon Amarth.”
Check out “From Mortal To God” below:
Seraph’s Embrace Your Demise CD Release Show will take place at The Camel (1621 W. Broad St) on Sunday, March 30. Joining them will be local metal bands Dream Atlantic and Captive Eyes. Doors open at 7 PM, music starts at 7:30. Admission is $5, but bring some extra cash to pick up your copy of Embrace Your Demise. For more info, click here.
