Psycroptic, Inferi, Cognitive, Summoning The Lich

PSYCROPTIC Isolation can often result in unique outcomes. Hailing from the tiny, frosty, untamed and detached Australian state that is Tasmania, Psycroptic have become an unparalleled act in an enigmatic world wide movement commonly known as death metal. Fifteen years have passed since their formation in 1999, the band having released five critically acclaimed studio albums, all which show an organic progression along a clandestine path from which they will never stray. On the eve of their sixth full-length, though more technical and brutally intuitive than ever, the four-piece has not been afraid to get in touch with their softer side. Long known as the ‘Tasmanian devils’, they recently became the first band in the world to adopt their own Tasmanian Devil, whom they dubbed Psycro, in an attempt to help preserve the critically endangered carnivorous marsupial. Newer elements too can be expected when the new album is finally unleashed – more vocal variation, a heightened handle on instrumental melody, and an overwhelming sense that this act has truly mastered their craft. Psycroptic have toured all corners of the globe with names that need no introduction to those in the know – Cannibal Corpse, Suicide Silence, Decapitated, The Faceless, Obituary, Carcass, Nile, The Black Dahlia Murder, Origin, Kataklysm, Aborted, Despised Icon, Suffocation, Veil of Maya, Cryptopsy, Misery Index, Vader, Born of Osiris, Hate Eternal you get the picture right? They also recently guest hosted the ABC music video program Rage, an honour reserved for only the most class Australian acts. Metal legend Max Cavalera has also been sporting the band’s merch in recent promotional photos, bringing things full circle from the days when they were influenced by Sepultura in their youth. It’s safe to say that Psycroptic’s place in the history of heavy metal is solidified, and that everything that happens from here on in is simply a bonus INFERI Inferi is an American melodic death metal band forged from the bowels of Nashville, Tennessee. The band formed in 2006 and strived to merge the classic melodic metal sound with a taste of crushing technicality. COGNITIVE After releasing an EP and full length, COGNITIVE signed to Unique Leader Records in 2016 and released their album Deformity, which showed the bands dedication to their craft within a tale about their home states own legend about the Jersey Devil. Ramping up their tour schedule, the band continued to write and push themselves within the genre with technicality, speed, brutality, and songwriting, which came to shine through even more on the 2018 release Matricide, which displayed more focused effort while increasing speed and technicality even more. The band wasted no time in their touring schedule and hit the road supporting Fit for an Autopsy, Rivers of Nihil, Through the Eyes of the Dead, Vulvodynia, Lorna Shore and others, along with an appearance at Maryland Deathfest. COGNITIVE has become a touring machine with one goal in mind – always move forward. Now with the release of their new album Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction, the band has displayed more diversity and song writing more than ever, and proves yet again they are never scared to explore new concepts musically and explore new territory. Now signed to Metal Blade Records in 2022, Cognitive is not only touring for their last record, but writing their next slab of brutality. SUMMONING THE LICH Taking inspiration from the best elements of Lord of the Rings, Magic The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Adventure Time, and wrapping it up in a fantastical death metal parcel, SUMMONING THE LICH has an attention to detail and commitment to storytelling that is second to none. United In Chaos tells the tale of the rise of the Lich and fall of the Kingdom Rodor – and the spread of his wicked influence across the land as his power grows. SUMMONING THE LICH’s debut album follows a well-received, self-titled demo and live dates alongside heavy-hitters such as Origin, Beneath The Massacre, and several stops on the Summer Slaughter tour. Having honed their craft, they entered Sicktones Studios studio with producer Jack Daniels in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in September 2019. With mastering completed by John Douglass, the result is a technical, abrasive journey through fantasy-driven, modern death metal. On United In Chaos, SUMMONING THE LICH haven’t just championed a fantasy world, they’ve created one in their own vision; this release marking merely the first chapter in a trilogy of albums that explores the outer limits of their imaginations. By inserting their storytelling chops into songs crammed with memorable hooks and meaty riffs, SUMMONING THE LICH have invited listeners to roll the dice and join the adventure.