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Christus Hypercubus

MESSIAH

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Release:

High Roller Records
1. March 2024

Info:

Switzerland has always been a fertile breeding ground for Extreme Metal. MESSIAH were formed in 1984 and issued two truly ground breaking records on Chainsaw Murder Records, »Hymn To Abramelin« in 1986 and »Extreme Cold Weather« a year later. In the early 1990s MESSIAH signed to Karl Walterbach’s Noise Records label and issued three more full-length albums: »Choir Of Horrors« (1991), »Rotten Perish« (1992) and »Underground« (1994) before going their separate ways.

In 2018, MESSIAH decided to reform in the original line-up of their Noise Records albums with Andy Kaina on vocals, Steve Karrer on drums, Patrick Hersche on bass and band founder R.B. Brögi on guitar. Lavish re-issues of »Hymn To Abramelin« and »Extreme Cold Weather« came out on High Roller Records before a brand new studio album entitled »Fracmont« was released in 2020.

»Fracmont« was highly regarded by fans and press alike. Guitarist and founding member Brögi explains: “Yeah, the fans all loved the album for sure. We were really happy about that, and it made us proud. For an old band it’s not an easy thing to release a new album after such a long hiatus. We were fully aware of that but after we had decided to re-unite we just wanted to be creative again and not think too much about how to approach the song writing. Re-creating our old material was not an option, neither was catering to current trends. We simply followed our hearts and did what we wanted to do, just like in the old days. I think the fans really honoured us staying true to ourselves. After all we make music for them and not for the record industry. For us it’s a true passion, some kind of hobby, not work. We all have our regular day jobs. So regarding our music, there is no economic pressure involved for us whatsoever, we are totally independent in this respect.”

On November 4th 2022, fate struck as former MESSIAH vocalist Andy Kaina died after a heart attack at the age of only 53. It was a huge shock for everybody involved, states Brögi: “We did not see it coming whatsoever. Andy did not appear to have any health problems at all. Of all of us in the band he lived the most healthy, eating healthy food and doing lots of sports. It’s still hard for us to grasp what has happened. Losing a good friend at such an early point in life is a terrible thing. We went through so much together, not only with the band but also privately. Andy was very close to my family as well, even before the MESSIAH re-union happened. We never lost touch.”

Andy’s last live performance with MESSIAH took place at the Old Capitol in Langenthal, Switzerland, on the 20th of November 2021. Shortly after that, according to Brögi, he decided to leave the band: “One day, totally out of the blue, he came to our rehearsal room and announced that he would quit MESSIAH and not be party of the band in 2022. He said that he had lost the motivation to be in the band and that he wanted to concentrate on other things in life. Of course we were really surprised. We had a discussion with him as friends but he had already had made up his mind. As we had been knowing him for a really long time it was clear to us that there was no way back. Andy was not a person to take decisions lightly. We had to accept this, and that’s what we did.”

“After Andy’s decision to quit we had to re-organize things but it was clear from the start that we were going to continue with the band,” adds Brögi. “So we went on the search for a new singer. It was also clear that we would make a new studio album, if we found a new front man. The only question was when.”

In the end Marcus Seebach from Chur became the new singer in MESSIAH. Brögi has the complete story: “We had been knowing Marcus for quite a while. I met him in person the first time during our second re-union show in January 2018 in his home town of Chur (in Switzerland). We had to choose between three different singers but in the end Marcus made it because we also got along very well with him on a personal level – and that’s very important for a band like MESSIAH. We are totally independent and human interaction has always played a vital role for us. When we heard him singing a song off »Fracmont« and one of his own songs, it was clear to us that he’s going to be the man. We were really lucky to find him. He has been with us since late 2021.”

“V.O. Pulver [renown Swiss record producer and since early 2021 also second guitarist and stable band member of MESSIAH] and me created the basics for new songs in January 2022,” continues Brögi. “Within three weeks, V.O. and me had written the entire new album. I developed the whole concept and the lyrics during this time as well (apart from one song text which was the brainchild of Marcus Seebach). It was a very creative period indeed. And then fate struck as Steve had a skiing accident, being not able to play drums for a good half year. V.O. and me continued to work on the new material, with a help of a drum computer, which we had never done before because we always used to arrange everything together in our rehearsal room. For the live debut of Marcus the drummer of Comaniac was standing in. Steve was finally back for Partysan 2022.”

The name of the new MESSIAH album is »Christus Hypercubus«. “We did it like we usually do it,” laughs Brögi, “we just wrote and recorded the songs without thinking too much about it, very spontaneously. Circumstances were a bit more complicated though this time around because, as mentioned earlier, we were not all together in the rehearsal room arranging the material. And our second guitarist V.O. wrote some songs on his own as well. A very special mix, I would say. The marriage of a professional (V.O.) and a chaotic amateur (me), if you like (lol). In total the new material is harder and faster than »Fracmont«. There is also a new touch, due to Marcus singing, he is capable of doing these high screams, which I like a lot. And V.O. has created some striking guitar parts and was responsible for great arrangements. I think »Christus Hypercubus« represents our new situation very well, a new wind is blowing, but we have not lost any of the established MESSIAH trademarks of old.”

Here and there songs like the slower ”Speedsucker Romance“ or “Christus Hypercubus“ bear some “progressive” leanings as well, which makes the album sound interesting and fresh. “That’s probably down to the fact that we ignore all rules of arranging beats,“ laughs Brögi. “We just add different ideas to each other, most often led by the guitars. That’s why we will probably never write a rock hit. In the past it was pure chaos, nowadays it’s more structured and professional. But, as mentioned before, we don’t write according to a specific plan – if all band members like it, then it’s gonna be done.”

Official Video Clips: Christus Hypercubus +++ Sikhote Alin

Tracklist:

01. Sikhote Alin
02. Christus Hypercubus
03. Once Upon A Time... NOTHING
04. Speed Sucker Romance
05. Centipede Bite
06. Please Do Not Disturb (While I'm Dying)
07. Soul Observatory
08. Acid Fish
09. The Venus Baroness I
10. The Venus Baroness II

Line-up:

Marcus Seebach - Vocals
R.B. Brögi - Guitars, Harmonies & Spoken Words
V.O. Pulver - Guitars
Patrick Hersche - Bass
Steve Karrer - Drums