Symphonic death metal band Kerberos, hailing from Switzerland, will drop their second release, Apostle to the Malevolent, on March 14th 2025 on CD and digital.
About the band
Kerberos came to being in 2013 due to the guitar player and vocalist Félicien Burkard. In 2014, the drummer Nicolas Käser joined the band. With the addition of vocalist Ai-lan Metzger in 2018, the band began recording their demo, The Awakening of the Hellhound, released in 2020. In early 2021, the band started tracking their first album, Of Mayhem and Dismay, at Iguana Studios in Germany. Released in September 2022, the album blends the epic, progressive and extreme into a unique package. Indeed, intricate choir and orchestral arrangements meet crushing prog death parts, complemented by an exciting interplay of clean and harsh lead vocals, challenging genre conventions and musical boundaries
After the release of the album, Diego Lanzendörfer joined Kerberos as second guitar player. However, this allowed the band to start their live chapter. By playing their first gig in Werkk Baden in June 2023, Kerberos proved that they deliver an energetic live performance that is no less convincing than the studio record.
About the new album
The upcoming studio outing, Apostle to the Malevolent, is both more ambitious and more cohesive than the band’s previous records. Each track is inspired by the baroque era and its composers. The tracks do not only preserve baroque sound aesthetic, but also focus on virtuosic melody lines and complex contrapuntal writing. Lyrically, the record is deeply rooted in personal themes, exploring mental health and trauma… While also critiquing the capitalist hellscape we are trapped in. Amidst the EP’s overarching darkness, the track Alpine Sea embodies a whirlwind of emotions with a dreamlike atmosphere.
Recorded and produced by the experienced Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios in Germany (known for his work with Necrophagist, Unlight, and Finsterforst), the production quality meets the high standards expected of modern extreme and epic metal. This time, Kerberos also raised the bar by enlisting classical musicians and a choir to create an authentic, organic listening experience. Therefore, the result is a powerful record that will appeal to fans of traditional symphonic death metal as well as progressive and avant-garde music.
Tracklist:
1. Praeludium in H Moll
2. Near-Violence Experience
3. Liar Within [Music Video | Audio]
4. Alpine Sea [Lyric Video | Audio]
5. Apostle to the Malevolent
Album Credits:
— Band Lineup —
Ai-lan Metzger – Vocals
Diego Lanzendörfer – Guitars
Félicien Burkard – Vocals, Guitars & Fretless Bass
Nicolas Käser – Drums
—Kerberos Choir—
Conducted by Félicien Burkard
Soprano & Alto: Andrea Aebli, Angela Stadler, Ai-lan Metzger, Claudia Schuppisser, Noemi Sandmeier
Tenor & Bass: Félicien Burkard, Nicolas Käser, Ralph P. Huber, Simon Frederik Piringer, Timur Pfeil
—Kerberos Orchestra—
Seraina Nussbaumer – Violin
Yulianna Khomenko – Violin
Marc Mariscotti – Viola
Judith Stuber – Cello
Laura Kalchofner – Soprano, Alto & Tenor Recorder
—Others—
Produced by Christoph Brandes & Félicien Burkard
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios Germany
Choir & orchestral arrangements by Félicien Burkard
Cover artwork by Ai-lan Metzger
Cover layout & booklet design by Quinn Fink
