Release:

Ranka Kustannus / Soulfood
30.09.2016

Info:

Finland's highly popular metal mongers Machine Men called it quits in 2011 after a 13–year career and three full-length studio albums plus one EP. The split left many wondering what would follow. At the end of 2012 things started to come together and a new band was born out of the ashes of Machine Men; PSYCHEWORK, featuring vocalist Antony Parviainen and guitarist J-V Hintikka.

Secrecy has surrounded Psychework; the band has kept a low profile – so much so that they only played their 1st ever show this past January. Not much has been given out of the material on the forthcoming debut album “The Dragon’s Year” either. The album is slated to drop via Finnish label Ranka Kustannus (Arion, Kypck, A.R.G. et al.) on the brink of this summer. It turns out there rarely ever has been a better reason for keeping it down…

What happened was singer Antony Parviainen was battling his personal Dragon: leukemia. So, that‘s where the majority of the lyrical themes on the album tap from. Antony explains: ‟It's been a bumpy ride building up Psychework, from the first line of lyrics until this point. But I've learned a lot on the way. It all started at the end of 2012 as I was forced to face the dark and ruthless side of life. When your life is suddenly turned upside down and the most important thing, your health, is taken away, you begin to have deep thoughts about life. My future was unclear at that moment. And I can honestly say that it was my worst nightmare. But this period in my life gave me a lot as well, because I found the long lost spark. The spark into writing music. Psychework is a band but at the same time it's a product of my soul, to which I've shed my tears and, literally, my blood, too.”

Indeed, this is not your regular fast food metal. Psychework is thinking man’s metal in every sense of the concept. However introverted, their lyrics are insightful and give food for thought for the listener too. To perfectly compliment the lyrics, the band has found its personal style and the musical niche to represent the stories. Nothing short of exceptional, Psychework caters to us melodically strong, dark and progressive heavy metal with impressive orchestrations and an undeniable flair for the dramatic. Treading similar landscapes with the greats like Kamelot and Evergrey, Psychework have taken their time to build a collection of songs that will no doubt leave an impression.

Like the light of hope is only made bright by darkness of despair, it sometime takes some toil and turmoil to figure out life is, after all, beautiful. This is perfectly demonstrated in the music of Psychework on so many levels. Not only the lyrics but the music too is rewarding: what first comes off as maybe a bit challenging is after a couple of spins probably some of the best metal you’re going to hear all year!

Tracklist:

1. Hand on Heart
2. Bullet with My Name
3. Tide
4. Keep the Flame
5. Barricades Won’t Fall
6. Vale of Tears
7. Tear of the Phoenix
8. The Dragon’s Year

Line-up:

Antony Parviainen - vocals
J-V Hintikka - guitar
Juuso Raatikainen - drums
Otto Närhi - keys
Juha Takanen - guitar
Ville Koskinen - bass