San Francisco post-metal project Martikor stream their sophomore album »Acedia«, available now on all major streaming services
San Francisco, California based post-metal project Martikor has just released their sophomore album »Acedia« on April 12th, 2024.
Listen to »Acedia« on all major streaming services!
Tracklist:
01. Soothing Rattle
02. Elegy
03. Coiled
04. A Tremor In Infinity
05. Born Among Thorns
06. Awake (Bidar)
07. Acedia
Courtesy of C Squared Music:
Through the haunting nature of their music and the band’s accompanying aesthetic, Martikor provides an immersive multi-faceted experience. The forthcoming album »Acedia« centers around the complexity of human emotion and explores the shadowy corners of the mind, and is unveiled on April 12th, 2024.
Composer Lenn comments: “»Acedia« builds upon Martikor’s blend of atmospheric sludge, post-metal, black metal, and experimental textures. Conceptually, it delves into the intricate process of mourning, exploring both the anticipation and reflection associated with grief. Each track is aiming to confront and navigate the shadowy corners of the psyche, and the dark nature of the music serves as a reflection of the transformative power inherent in the exploration of complex human emotions.”
The album opens with eerie lead guitars before bursting into the dissonant, distorted and heavy. Lenn explains, “»Soothing Rattle« is about the dark moments that we experience in our psyche and while it is tormenting, it can be soothing in a sense, meditating through pain!” Anguished screams are accompanied with marching rhythmic percussion hits, ghostly whispers and sees the guitar melodies continue as a constant throughout the developing mood.
Loss is one of the poignant themes explored on Acedia, notably as a personal expression. “The songs »Elegy« and »Coiled« are about grief, and anticipation and reflection associated with it. Parts of these songs are influenced by some of Lenn’s dreams about his loved ones that he has lost recently.” Struggles within oneself relating self-doubt but also self-reflection are dealt with in both »A Tremor In Infinity« and »Born Among Thorns«.
While the previous tracks are situated in topics that expose the bleakness of the human experience, Martikor doesn’t remain entirely confined to the murky gloom. “»Awake« and »Acedia« end the album with some light and hope. The hope is that at the end of the process of dealing with all the emotional intricacies, one can be awake. Acedia means spiritual apathy, which is considered a spiritual sin, but I think it could be a path to tranquility. And existing for the sake of existing, ‘not for pleasure, not for pain’.”
About Martikor:
Martikor is a post-metal project, currently based in the bay area, San Francisco. Martikor began as a solo project of Lenn (the band’s main composer), and the first album »Soliloquy«, was released on September 8th, 2023. The band’s musical style is influenced by various genres including post-metal, post-rock, sludge metal, black metal, shoegaze, doom metal, and electronic/ambient textures. Martikor combines dark atmospheric elements with the heaviness that comes with extreme music. It continuously explores experimental sounds and textures, aiming to manifest the intricacies of human emotions through various forms of musical and visual art and utilize art for self-exploration.
In Martikor’s compositions, Lenn uses not only music, but visual art and film as some of the main sources of inspiration. Some musical influences are from the heavy world, like Neurosis, Oathbreaker, Amenra, Sumac, YOB, Absent In Body, The Body, Lingua Ignota, etc. Other musical influences are classical, neoclassical, ambient, electronic, and experimental music.
Credits:
Lenn – Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keyboards
Keenan (Felsenmirror) – Drums
Heidie (Glacial Fall) – Vocals
Cello on »Coiled« by Kakophonix
Art by Aaron Bonogofsky
Mastered by Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden Studio
Live line-up:
Lenn – Guitar, Vocals
Moe – Guitar
Glen – Bass
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well