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Interview with
SYLOSIS

(26th July 2023)

Interview with Shaquira Hobbs

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SHAQUIRA: “Your new album A Sign Of Things To Come will be out on the 8th September via Nuclear Blast. Can you tell us a little bit about the title and what it means?
JOSH: Originally it wasn’t necessarily gonna be the title of the record, but it definitely seems to sum up a lot of the themes of the lyrics. So, I guess like the song in particular is more about the the anxiety of just like the state of the world and particularly during the pandemic, all you’re doing is sitting on your phone doom scrolling, just seeing like all these kind of negative things happening, whether it’s political or climate change or anything like that It was hard to not have a sinking feeling, going on Twitter and seeing people at other’s throats or just more depressing things coming up into the world. So I guess that’s where a lot of that song and I guess some of the other songs on the record are just kind of, yeah, just hoping that some of the, these negative aspects aren’t necessarily things that are gonna be where we continue to head and hopefully we can kind of course correct a bit. I try to not be overly, you know, negative or, or doom and gloom about it, but it’s definitely like a. I guess like an anxiety point of view of just looking at the world and just being like, wow. Especially as a father of two daughters. 

SHAQUIRA: “The album has been described as the most potent and powerful in Sylosis’ career. What aspects of the band’s musical evolution can we expect to hear on this record?”
JOSH: It’s definitely like our most diverse record. We really wanted to push the heaviness and that feeling of when the band first started off where it’s just, feels really intense. When I say the band first started, I mean before anything that anyone ever heard, like when we were kids, just listening to Slipknot and stuff and just getting that feeling of energy and just really wanted to inject some more of that energy into the music and it to feel more visceral and for people to connect more there. I think one of the biggest things that a lot of people seem to notice is the effort put on the vocals to make sure the vocals connect with people, but also just to step up as a vocalist as well. 

SHAQUIRA:  “You mentioned wanting to rediscover the feeling you had when you first discovered metal while creating this album. How did you infuse that energy and excitement into the songs?”
JOSH: Various things, sometimes it would be as simple as a guitarist, like I spend a lot of time in my home studio, sitting in front of a computer just playing guitar and recording it. Even just playing guitar, standing up and sort of trying to imagine that I’m on stage and writing with that perspective, or just trying to think about the music that really amped me up as a kid. Stuff that would make me want to flip a table and that feeling of high energy. I just re-revisited records that were big for me as a kid. Like the first two Slipknot records, some of the early Pantera stuff or the later Pantera stuff was really intense and heavy. So I just wanted to try and put some of that energy back into what we were doing because I feel like the better I got as a guitarist and as a songwriter, the less of that just energy and just primal, youthful stuff kind of started to work its way out of the music and now it’s time to put it back in.

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SHAQUIRA: “This album marks the band’s return after a hiatus. How did this break influence the creative process for ‘A Sign Of Things To Come’?”
JOSH: I guess we had a lot of time because the record was written during the pandemic, we didn’t necessarily feel like we had to rush it out. We did want it to be out a bit sooner, but it was cool ’cause our manager was actually quite hard on us and just being like, you guys you need to come back with a record that’s really gonna put your stamp on things and solidify you guys as a band, and it can’t just be another good record. It’s gotta be like a classic record. So we really had to focus harder than we ever had to try and write a record that felt like it was a special one for us.

SHAQUIRA: “The album showcases a mix of different metal styles and textures. How do you balance the incorporation of various elements while still maintaining your signature sound?”
JOSH:  It was kind of a balance of trying to try, I say new things,, Incorporate them with established sounds, but a lot of the things that might seem like new to a lot of our fans, some of it is going back to when we first started. So when the band first started, we were writing and playing shows for four years before we released any music. We were very different when we started, when we first started releasing music. So it might be new for a lot of our listeners, but some of it is more revisiting our roots in terms of bringing out those influences that we had when the band first started.
I mean a lot of it’s like going back and listening to the records that we were listening to when the band started or when, just discovering heavy music and those records that you really like have a strong reaction to when you heard them as a kid. So yeah, it’s kind of going back and listening to a lot of that stuff helped.

SHAQUIRA: “As a father of two, you’ve mentioned concerns about the state of the world your daughters will inherit. Did these feelings of unease influence any specific songs on the album?”
JOSH: Yeah, the title track in particular and some of the lyrics share that kind of theme, in terms of the state of the world.
I dunno, pointing the finger at the people that are like destroying the world for profit as opposed to just a generic look at things. I’d say “a sign of things to come” is the, the main ones lyrically for that. 

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SHAQUIRA: “The band has evolved over the years since its formation in 2000. How has this growth and transformation shaped the band’s current lineup and contributed to the album’s success?”
JOSH:  It’s a tough one. Yeah, we’ve, we definitely have had lineup changes over the years, but for the most part it’s for the best in terms of people moving on or not being into it as much or whatever it may be.Or just finding members that are better or the next level up, musicianship wise. We are really lucky with the lineup that we have.
Like we’ve got such an amazing drummer alley who also plays and bleeds from within and Yeah. And the bass player Connor, like Super tight, brings a lot of youthful energy to the band. So, yeah, it definitely has helped kind of make the record feel like new and exciting.

SHAQUIRA: “What can fans expect from Sylosis in terms of touring and live performances in support of the new album?”
JOSH: Yeah, so we’re touring throughout November, December with Malevolence throughout Europe and the UK and haven’t got anything locked in just yet, but we’re looking to be in Australia in the first half of 24.

SHAQUIRA: “With a discography that includes some iconic releases, would you say ‘A Sign Of Things To Come’ stands out as a defining moment in Sylosis’ musical journey?”
JOSH: Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I think it’s the hardest we’ve ever worked on a record or definitely the hardest. It’s the most time I’ve ever put in on a record, for sure. 

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SHAQUIRA: Is there any particular message or sentiment you hope listeners take away from experiencing ‘A Sign Of Things To Come’?”
JOSH: Despite whatever the lyrics may be about, I genuinely want people to have just the feeling of enjoyment that I got from listening to some of the music that I grew up listening to, even if it’s super heavy, super angry. Heavy music can be good if you’re feeling anger and stuff. But it can also just be really fun if you are feeling good and like I predominantly just listen to metal stuff and no matter what kind of mood I’m in, I just always love it and I just hope people will just feel excited by it. And just enjoy it and have fun with the record. 

SHAQUIRA: Lastly, if you could change one thing about the music industry what would it be?
JOSH: Wow. I guess, In an ideal world, I’m not one of those people that’s gonna complain about this, but if I could just pick anything hypothetically off the top of my head, it would be that people just bought music like they used to and we’d be able to make a living from it. I still use Spotify and all that, so I’m definitely not complaining, but, you know, if I can pick any dream scenario, it’s the people just paying for music as they used to. 

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Follow SYLOSIS
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter

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Press Release 21st July 2023 (below)

SYLOSIS
reveal video for
title track of new album
‘A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME’

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The UK’s heavy metal machine SYLOSIS unveils the title track of their brand-new album, ‘A Sign Of Things To Come’. The new song speaks from Josh Middleton’s position as a new father and his fears of the world that his children will one day inherit.

Josh comments “‘A Sign Of Things To Come’ is a declaration of dismay towards the modern world. It’s about the anxiety of what the future holds and the feeling of division in a society where everyone is pitted against each other. This was the last song to be written for the album. It quickly became apparent that this was going to be one of the biggest, most anthemic songs on the record.”

Produced by Josh Middleton, alongside production legend, Scott Atkins, A Sign Of Things To Come has challenged SYLOSIS into brand-new territory.

“This is the first time I’ve allowed myself to be produced; taking on some brutal criticism and pushing myself to deliver the best vocal performance of my career. I’m a big fan of progressive and long albums, but I was ruthless on myself during the whole process. I think that shows in the final result on the record!” Josh states.

SYLOSIS is

Josh Middleton – vocals, guitar 
Alex Bailey – guitar
Conor Marshall – bass
Ali Richardson – drums

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Pre-order A Sign Of Things To Come now HERE

A Sign Of Things To Come
Tracklist

1. Deadwood
2. A Sign Of Things To Come
3. Pariahs
4. Poison For The Lost
5. Descent
6. Absent
7. Eye For An Eye
8. Judas
9. Thorns
10. A Godless Throne

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AMNPLIFY – DB