L-R - Mark “Smedy” Smedbron (Vocals) | Matt Watkins (Bass) | Eddie Dec (Drums) | Steve Bacakos (Guitar) | Mike Hisson (Guitar)
Photo Credit - Emily Fuschen - Dark Trix Photography
Chicago's neo-classical melodic death outfit BURNED IN EFFIGY unleashed their latest album this past January 28th. The full-length follows their debut EP "Terrestrial", which was all instrumental. With the addition of vocalist Mark “Smedy” Smedbron, the fury of a new monster was born for the next chapter of the band. "Rex Mortem" was recorded with guitarists Vito Bellino and Brad Dose, whom soon after parted ways and saw live guitarists Steve Bacakos and Mike Hisson take over shredding duties. The three new members join co-founding members Eddie Dec (Drums) and Matt Watkins (Bass) to push forward a new front supporting this epic record that has been called by Brutalism.com "One of the first strong albums of 2022...".
Today, in support of the record, Burned In Effigy are showing fans their love of the retro with an 8-bit remix of their track "Artorias" by M. Marsh. On the album, "Artorias" has the most emphasis of groove. It has multiple movements, including a Latin-influenced clean departure in the middle of it. Starting with a syncopated riff that really comes together with the drums’ half-time groove, going into a verse section with a thundering double kick pattern. The middle section continues the groove between the bass and drums, and the final section builds into a climactic finale with a ripping guitar solo.
The band adds about the 8-bit video:
" A lot of the band members, both old and new, have a love for video games, and especially fond memories of the ones we grew up with. There's a kind of simplistic, bare-bones beauty to old 8-bit and 16-bit music, and many of us have been musically influenced by video game soundtracks throughout the years. We wanted to represent this with an 8-bit version of one of our songs, and Artorias seemed perfect for it. The name was taken from a character from Dark Souls, and the music was supposed to encapsulate the journey of a hero as they become corrupted by the very forces they fight against. The multiple sections of the song allowed for multiple different moods expressed through 8-bit sounds, and it just ended up sounding awesome to us. We had a video created for it to emulate the feel of a Game Boy/Super Nintendo-era start screen and tease the idea of if our music was written to be in a video game as opposed to being played by a death metal band. We want to keep incorporating some of these references from games that helped shaped who we are, such as in our recent NES Castlevania-style shirt that helps bridge this concept with our Nosferatu-based lyric video for Nightfall."
Listen to the 8-bit version of "Artorias" at
The album version for "Artorias" can be heard at
"Rex Mortem" is a high-energy recording, but also diverse. It takes elements from multiple subgenres within metal, mainly melodic death and progressive, while infusing neoclassical elements into each track. No two tracks sound the same. Burned In Effigy skillfully and tastefully changed keys and time signatures throughout, so the feel of their music is constantly shifting, but also smoothly flows between each section. Lyrically, the album is the introduction of a tale of a tyrannical king’s rule and demise, including some other minor themes and stories from mythology and classic literature.
Bassist Matt Watkins adds:
"We are psyched to present our debut album, Rex Mortem, a catalog of the first chapter of the band. This has been in the works for a long time and we couldn't be more pleased with how it has turned out. The songs vary in complexity and intensity and demonstrate our growth as a band since its inception. Listeners will hear influences such as The Black Dahlia Murder and The Human Abstract, combining our love for death metal and progressive/neo-classical metal. The vocals are gritty and tense and the lyrics emphasize this with dark tales inspired by mythology, history, and classic literature. We believe our album has something for all metal fans, regardless of preferred subgenre."
Album order for "Rex Mortem" is available at Burnedineffigy.bandcamp.com (CD) and all other major digital platforms at https://distrokid.com/
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Track Listing:
1. Doomsayer (3:28)
2. Artorias (5:08)
3. Nightfall (3:20)
4. The Empiricist (4:05)
5. Hades (4:26)
6. Atlas (4:23)
7. Treachery (3:25)
8. Vendetta (3:55)
Album Length: 32:12
Album Recording Lineup:
- Mark “Smedy” Smedbron - Vocals
- Matt Watkins - Bass
- Eddie Dec - Drums
- Vito Bellino - Guitar
- Brad Dose - Guitar
Live Band Line Up:
- Mark “Smedy” Smedbron - Vocals
- Matt Watkins - Bass
- Eddie Dec - Drums
- Steve Bacakos - Guitar
- Mike Hisson - Guitar
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