MORE ABOUT CITY OF TYRANTS:Stemming from New Brunswick, NJ, progressive metal act, City of Tyrants, formed in 2016. Consisting of Charles Horning (Vocals), Ed Tyler (Guitars), Kevin Michael (Drums/Vocals), Chingkhei Akoijam (Guitar), and Josh Palmer (Bass), the band set out with a goal to create intuitive music that crosses over progressive metal with metalcore stylings. Kicking off with their 2016 EP release, Erebus, featured tracks “Harlot” and “Transcendence.” To much acclaim, the band received a sound recognition for their efforts, but it wasn’t until Revelations, their 2018 album launch, that really set the tone for the band.
Two years in the making; City of Tyrants utilized their time in the studio to finetune their sound and “develop softer notesto deliver a much more accessible experience to a broader audience,” as told to Go Venue Magazine. The 7-track album is told from a first person perspective and is the story of a god-like character who is chosen to bring peace to a post apocalyptic world. The character, throughout the songs, ends up in a battle with himself, fighting his urges to become the opposite of what he set out to be. “Lyrically, the album can seem dark at times, but we believe that people can interpret these words in to a positive manner,” explained Kevin Michael. He continues, “Throughout the album, the main character is progressively dealing with feelings of hopelessness and how to combat those feelings. Musically, we wanted to ensure that the story was brought to life in the instrumentation and lyrics, to ensure every part of each song would be interesting. We don’t like to repeat lots of parts when we write, nor did we want the songs to be very long, so we were tasked with trying to keep things interesting and different but still cohesive.” The album was produced by Michael and the rest of City of Tyrants, with mixing and mastering by Taylor Larson. In addition, the band collaborated with Lukas Magyar, the vocalist of Veil of Maya to help co-write the vocals on the record. Michael elaborated, “He brought a huge sense of confidence to the band and taught us so much.” Off the album, the band celebrated singles, “Astral Projections,” and “Bloodlines.”
Go Venue Magazine editor, Steve Walker, elaborates on the sound and stylings of City of Tyrants, by stating, “There are aggressive dynamics between the band, almost a strive to compete and be the loudest most forceful sequence and presence on each track (when referring to Revelations). There are powerful relationships that have been forged between the instrumentation that leans towards over-distortion placed in an intentional way to showcase the levels of energy and focus the band are aiming to reach.” Fans can expect more to come from City of Tyrants!
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