With a debut show sharing stages with Redhook & The Dead Love under their belt, Brisbane progressive-metal prodigies Citadel have today unveiled their second single, ‘Parasyte‘. A cathartic and stirring track, detailing the harrowing slew of emotions guitarist Nat Patterson dealt with during the ending of his engagement, coinciding with the death of a close family member. Forced to return to his parent’s home, it details the breadth of emotions he felt during this time period; ranging from deep sadness, to burning frustration. A moving track that begins with singer Russell Miller’s musings atop a singular piano. Building alongside the story’s despair, ‘Parasyte’ reaches a chorus crescendo with the driven guitars of Liam Kelly kicking in alongside drummer Dane Pulvirenti’s syncopated rhythms.
Citadel launched prior to debut single ‘Sundered Souls’, with the quartet becoming close after touring, performing & recording alongside previous projects Osaka Punch, Wildheart & Bayharbour. Combining, they got to work immediately, channeling djent, post-metal and hard rock influences, with a proclivity for work of composers Nobu Uematsu (Final Fantasy OST) & Jack Wall (Mass Effect OST). ‘Parasyte’ was recorded with Gareth Hargreaves (Polaris, Young Lions, The Brave), who helped to mold the song from a barebones idea, to the fleshed out & layered piece heard today. Trusting his ear, Hargreaves also handled the track’s mixing & mastering.
“Parasyte was written at a very dark time in my life, following the end of an engagement and the death of a close family member as well, and is one of the only songs we have where I also wrote the lyrics. Parasyte tackles the complex and harrowing feelings I felt directly after my fiance and I broke it off. I had moved back to my parent’s house to kind of “start over”, and was enduring feelings ranging from deep sadness to burning frustration and anger at how things had turned out.” Nat Patterson, Citadel
“Parasite immediately jumped out to me as the most vulnerable and honest songs the band has put together. It boasts the most mature composition, and immediately commands an intimate connection between the listener and the band.” Dane Pulvirenti, Citadel
Accompanying the soul-stirring single is a visceral music video, filmed in a traditional, stained-glass church. Guitarist Nat Patterson was experiencing nightmares, placed in wedding scenarios, during the time that the song was written. Channeling this, the band worked with Nick Hargans (Dregg, Stepson, Columbus) to create a music video that depicted the situations conjured in Patterson’s mind, intertwining death, separation & grief throughout. Beginning with Russell Miller serenading an empty church behind a black piano, the video is layered with the song, showcasing the death of the male character, before the band appear as the chorus drops with heavier instrumentation.
“The music video for Parasyte depicts a nightmare scenario of a wedding. I had similar dreams and nightmares around the time the song was written, so being able to bring that into a visual medium has been very cathartic for me.” Nat Patterson, Citadel
“We came to Nick with a fully collaborated idea for the video which in all honesty was probably outside of his comfort zone, but he really took it onboard and turned it into something he enjoyed creating. This style of video was new for everyone involved and was a great learning experience. We’re really looking forward to seeing how it communicates to fans.” Russell Miller, Citadel
Having now introduced themselves to the audiences throughout Brisbane & Australia, Citadel has a string of upcoming performances, sharing stages with Voyager, Semantics & more in the coming months. With more music in their back-pocket, it is only a matter of time before they become a household name across the Australian heavy music landscape.
