Formed in Sweden in 2004, Scar Symmetry were a unique proposition from the start. Although clearly owing a debt to the pioneering melodic death metal bands of the ‘90s, guitarist Per Nilsson and his comrades were walking their own evolutionary path. As showcased on 2005 debut Symmetric In Design, the band were driven by fervently progressive and proudly melodic instincts, infusing their often brutal riffs and arrangements with wild, futuristic atmospherics, and sublime, emotional melodies that always hit their targets with ruthless precision.
Moving into 2023 and the band return with their latest opus and follow up to 2013’s The Singularity (Phase I – Neohumanity). As with its acclaimed predecessor, The Singularity (Phase II – Xenotaph) was created almost entirely by Per Nilsson alone. Ensconced in his home studio, colossal flights of brutal fancy like explosive opener Chrononautilus and the bewildering melo-death monolith of Scorched Quadrant were steadily pieced together, providing vocalists Lars Palmqvist and Roberth Karlsson with the most vivid and cinematic of backdrops. One thing that is immediately apparent, as Phase II clicks into gear, is that this is the most brutal record Scar Symmetry have ever made.
“The only difference for this album is that we now have a second guitar player, Ben Ellis, who contributes with leads,” notes Per. “But there is much more brutal and heavy stuff on this one. We’ve always had it, there’s just more of it now! It’s also that the first half of the album is tilted towards that, but it evens out a little bit as the album progresses. I chose to start the album off with Chrononautilus, which is going to be the second single. It starts off with that really fast blastbeat. When people hear it, I want them to say, ‘Holy shit!’ [Laughs].”
We talk to Per Nilsson about the new release and the long journey it took to get there plus we get into his time with Meshuggah and the use of A.I. tech in today’s world.
Check out the full interview
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0A2gC3z6C-I
Listen to Podcast version on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KiSax1
Get The Singularity (Phase II – Xenotaph): https://scarsymmetry.bfan.link/xenotaph
