Auckland has been putting out some quality prog metal as of late, and City of Souls are another shining example with their groove-laden new single 'Cruelty', the second track to be revealed from their upcoming record SYNAESTHESIA, out May 1.
The forthcoming record has been five years in the making and the painstaking process has paid off, with mature songwriting paving the way for a fully-realised sound that pulls the listener in deep.
As vocalist Richie Simpson explains:
"'Cruelty' was a demo I had been sitting on for a few years before I joined the band. It was complete structurally so it just needed a bit of a fine tune and it was in the bag. I'm really stoked the lads dug it and it made the record, I love playing it live. It has a real swing and swagger to it. Kinda makes me wanna dance like Snoop Dogg. I remember channeling some Nine Inch Nails reptile into the seasick bending guitar layers over the intro riff... it gave this dark energy to it. I love the mood changes that layering can give an idea. Cruelty is about the damage a lack of empathy can cause."
Guitarist Marcus Powell is stoked that the album will finally be seeing the light of day:
"City of Souls have hit every single obstacle and block you can imagine. For us, this album is about endurance, passion, and a deep love for music. To say we are excited to release this album is an understatement."
If you dig what you hear, you can pre-order SYNAESTHESIA here ahead of its May 1 release, and check out the previous single 'Shimmer' while you're at it!
Listen to City of Souls now.
