[news] Aoidos Release Single "From the Surface Grate (Reimagined)" Ahead of Upcoming Album

Darkened death metal quintet Aoidos have unveiled their new single, "From the Surface Grate (Reimagined)", ahead of the release of their debut album, "Oizys", set to arrive on November 29th via Nox Liberatio Records.

“From the Surface Grate” was the first song ever written for the project, actually being older than the selection of the name “Aoidos”. It started as a homage to the simple yet effective power chord riffs of Black’n’Roll bands, influenced greatly by Satyricon, a band Freitanás had on constant repeat when he wrote this song, in November 2019. But then, 2 years later, another man joined Aoidos. A man who wanted to embellish the song, make it hit harder and with more nuance. That man is Pedro Miguel, who picked up the drums. The band started practicing the song and started playing it faster until it felt good to play and better to hear. They ended up playing the track at 140 bpm, and with Erlkönig bringing some amazing Rachmaninoff-inspired piano parts, the song changed completely from a dark doomy track to an awesome cinematic and sinister piece. Comparing the original release with this one, anyone can see the improvement in Aoidos’ sound and can identify the different contributions from each of the members. It truly is a fantastic snapshot of Aoidos’ headspace, writing-wise, and a phenomenal gauge of their coming evolution as a band.

Aoidos - "Oizys"
Nox Liberatio Records (November 29th 2024)

1. Dieaed - 01:29
2. Thrall - 05:56
3. Fire - 06:26
4. Oizys - 06:28
5. Trauma - 05:50
6. Old Ballad - 01:48
7. The Wheels - 04:03
8. Black Swan - 06:06
9. From the Surface Grate - 05:10
10. Slumber - 01:53
11. All! Wherever! Always! - 04:27
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Full Album Running Time: 49:26  

Album Credits:
Producer: João “Freitanás” Freitas
Recording Studio: All tracks were recorded at Freitanás’ Personal Studio in Castanheira de Pera except Drums, which were recorded at Golden Jack Studios, Coimbra.
Engineer: João “Freitanás” Freitas and João Dourado
Mastering: João Dourado
Mixing: João “Freitanás” Freitas
Album Cover Artist: Sofya Alves
Band Photos by: Ruben Lopo

An insight analysis of "Oizys"Blackened death metal quintet AOIDOS, whose name AOIDOS means bard in Ancient Greek, places storytelling at the heart of their powerful and ambient sound. Fusing haunting melodies and atmospheres from the realms of black metal in conjunction with the power and groove of death, AOIDOS present a plethora of enchanting and shadowy tales in their forthcoming album. Oizys is set for release on November 29th, 2024, via Nox Liberatio Records.

The album's title, Oizys, is the name of the Ancient Greek goddess of anxiety and depression. Throughout the track list are interwoven personal tales involving struggles with mental health and witnessing the struggles of loved ones. The album's opener "Dieaed" (Diseased - written by Freitanás when he had food poisoning and a keyboard without a working “S” key), draws inspiration from HANS ZIMMER and is a cinematic piece. The track presents initial ideas that are developed later in "Trauma", and mirrors the album's closure. "Thrall", the only track without a piano, is an explosive assault on the senses; a portrayal of despair and rebellion. “Fire” was inspired by Pedrogão Grande’s wildfires that occurred in 2017, and is a personal tale predominantly of survival but also balanced with grief and loss.

"Oizys" explores the struggles of mental health through the metaphor of a toxic relationship. Musically, the intensity reflects desperate attempts to be rid of it - presenting a sense of urgency and the struggle to fight back. In "Trauma", AOIDOS produce a thrilling soundscape with fleeting moments of serenity hidden among the intense heavy instrumentation. "Trauma" also sees lyrics in the band's native language of Portuguese. Providing a brief interlude and space to breathe, "Old Ballad" is a standalone acoustic composition that offers calm before plunging into the depths of "The Wheels". Leaning further into the black metal subgenre, the track also contains elements of thrash and punk. This fast-paced song with its anthemic chorus makes it one of the band's crowd-pleasers on the live stage.
Showcasing the musical influences of GOJIRA and CHILDREN OF BODOM, "Black Swan" is about the theory of "black swan events". These are events that come as a surprise and have a major, and most of the time, devastating effect, but can be rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. The track thunders with annihilating rhythms and brutal onslaughts. Venturing into the world of Warhammer 40,000, "From the Surface Grate" continues the theme of suffering at the hands of god-like or near-immortal beings. While a glimmer of hope is presented, the reality of personal struggles shows the victims of this tale unconvinced, seeing darkness fall once again.

"Slumber" marks the beginning of the end of Oizys. The highly ambient track represents the abyss. An eerie ticking clock marks the approaching end accompanied by sound effects produced using an electric 8-string guitar and a heavily distorted stylophone, all flooded with reverb. The otherworldly sounds bleed through into "All! Wherever! Always!" and are enhanced with the piano being exchanged for a harpsichord, overlapping polyrhythms, and changes in the spatial occupancy of the guitars. The track is intentionally chaotic in its structural arrangement as it dismantles order and purpose.

“Oizys" will be available on Youtube, Bandcamp, Spotify, Tidal, and other digital platforms on November 29th, 2024, and on CD via Nox Liberatio Records on November 30th, 2024.Preorders are now open at the link https://noxliberatio.com/shop/aoidos-oizys-cd/

About AOIDOS
Aoidos emerged in 2019, among mugs of mead at the iconic Taberna 58, in Coimbra. The result of a mix of influences, from Death and Gojira to Behemoth and Watain, the band's sound seeks to combine the weight and groove of Death Metal with the dark ambiances and cutting melodies of Black Metal. With 4 singles and a bagful of live shows since 2023, 7 of which on a tour with 3 dates in Portugal and 4 in Spain, 4 at festivals (Bajonca Rock Fest, Rock dos Romanos, Mosher Fest, Melena Fest), and 2nd place at Laurus Metal Battle, which guaranteed them participation in the 2024 Laurus Nobilis Music Fest, Aoidos are about to release their debut album, “Oizys”, on November 29th inspired by the human experience with anxiety and depression.

AOIDOS is:
João "Freitanás" Freitas - Guitar, Vocals
EkID - Bass, Vocals
Pedro Miguel - Drums
Ivo Resende - Guitar
Erlkönig - Piano

Links:
https://aoidos.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/artist/4YLJbKYp1kvM7LDA0gvqsF
https://www.youtube.com/@aoidosband
https://instagram.com/aoidosband
https://www.facebook.com/aoidosband
https://x.com/aoidosband
https://www.threads.net/@aoidosband
https://tiktok.com/@aoidosband