New album “Metempiric” out on June 24th!
A little over a year since the release of their debut album, KNOLL are now preparing to release their sophomore album, Metempiric. The breakneck speed of their release schedule is a testament to their unrelenting work ethic; Metempiric is a symbol of their dedication to exploring the nastiest crevices of extreme metal.
With other bands delaying albums and cancelling tours as a result of the global pandemic, KNOLL refused to accept inactivity as an option, recording and self-releasing their debut album, Interstice – which was received in early 2021 to critical acclaim. Never ones to rest easy, summer 2021 saw them release a split EP with Autolith. When the pandemic allowed, the band hit the road, with two extensive US tours now under their belts to show for it (and more lined up for this summer). The experiences they have crammed into the last 18 months have helped shape their ethos as a band, and refine their musicianship as they approached the recording of Metempiric.
Although writing started for their second album even before the first had been released, the intervening months allowed room for the songs to bloom and mutate. KNOLL cite their live experiences as having an impact on their own performances, increasing their confidence and kicking their ambition up another notch.
KNOLL hit upon a winning formula with Interstice that they were keen to repeat with Metempiric: recording took place with Andy Nelson at Bricktop Recordings, in Chicago, IL, the album was then mixed by Kurt Ballou and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, whilst artwork was handled by Ethan McCarthy. The level of trust and confidence in those they had enlisted to work on Metempiric allowed them the freedom to push their creative boundaries even further than before.
It was only during the recording itself that KNOLL were fully able to appreciate the dark scope of the record. Previous band rehearsals had been somewhat bare bones as the song structure was crafted. In the studio as all elements and additional layers came together -including ambient passages and atmospheric textures, – the asphyxiating depths of Metempiric became apparent. With tighter songwriting, more free flowing vocals, and a little more sonic space throughout, Metempiric marks an evolution in the sound of KNOLL without losing the cacophonous intensity and technical death-grind that made their debut so impactful.
Lyrically, the themes on the record are as complex and claustrophobic as before. The thirteen songs on the album are an abstraction of consciousness and time, using metaphor to delve deeper into the human condition. Along the way they cover class warfare and human atrocities through a tangle of words that encapsulate an inescapable sense of existential dread.
Eschewing label interest in favour of the DIY route, KNOLL will release Metempiric themselves this summer. Stating the personal nature of their music and retaining complete ownership and control as being cornerstones of their decision, KNOLL are embracing the hard work and hands-on nature of the task ahead of them. These six college-age musicians stand on the precipice of adulthood with the world at their feet; Metempiric is merely the next chapter in what looks set to be an ongoing tale.
