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photos by Mike Verlizzo
Freedom From The Default, the debut full-length album from Boston, Massachusetts-based post-metalcore band HYEENA, will see a May release on Innerstrength Records, today issuing the album’s details, preorders, and a video for the new single, “The Scenario.”
HYEENA was formed in 2019 by Keith Holuk and Austin Bryant. Holuk was formerly the vocalist for Ligeia and sang on the Ferret Music-released Bad News and Your Ghost Is A Gift albums. Following Ligeia, he joined Ireland based band Hero In Error and spent time touring and recording with them. Bryant is a Boston-based percussionist, performer, and educator who has studied with such performers as Fred Buda, Jeffrey Fischer, Dave Dicenso, Bob Gullotti, and James Murphy. The duo is now joined by live bassist Mike Verlizzo.
Striving to go in a different direction than previous endeavors, the band aimed to create a post-metalcore sound with wild vocals, melodic singing, and energetic lyrics. They drew from their influences such as the Deftones, Gojira, and Of Mice And Men when they set about writing material, adding the occasional metalcore breakdown for good measure.
HYEENA went on to catch the ear of Frankie Palmeri, vocalist for Emmure. Together they released their debut EP, Glory, on his then newly formed Redzone Records in 2020. Unfortunately, it was just in time for Covid and the band’s plans to tour and support the EP were put on hold. Instead, the band spent the next two years honing their sound and writing new material. Having revamped their style since the release of Glory, HYEENA is now prepared to burst forth with their debut LP, Freedom From The Default.
The eleven-song Freedom From The Default was produced, mixed, and mastered by Keith Holuk, with the drums recorded by Austin Bryant.
Holuk writes, “Our style has changed significantly since Glory. I really enjoy heavy music and I used to be in a heavier band, so I had a lot of fun going in that direction with writing the riffs for the new album. With Glory, it was bit more of chord progressions that I could sing while playing guitar like punk-infused rock stuff in B-standard tuning. With the new album it’s in drop-A tuning and there is still a lot of that style, but also a lot of heavy riffs that were written just for the fun of it. Also, the new album includes Austin’s drumming, which is extraordinary. It was great to have Austin’s drum tracks because they are now essential to the songwriting; his fills often go right with the vocals and guitar or around the vocals so everything is done very tastefully.”
The new single advancing Freedom From The Default, “The Scenario,” is delivered through a video filmed by the members of HYEENA and edited by Anthony Altamura.
Watch HYEENA’s “The Scenario” video now at THIS LOCATION.
Innerstrength Records will release Freedom From The Default digitally on May 5th. Find preorders at Bandcamp HERE and watch for additional previews and updates as the record nears release, and if you missed them, watch the previously issued videos for “Bring On The Storm” HERE and “Cold Reality” HERE.
Freedom From The Default Track Listing:
1. Freedom From The Default
2. Got The Motto
3. Oasis
4. Bring On The Storm
5. Cold Reality
6. Chernobog
7. Let It Fade
8. Theres Heaven
9. The Scenario
10. Late Night Subtitles
11. Chameleons
HYEENA is booking sporadic shows surrounding the release of the album with more shows and plans to be announced shortly.
HYEENA Live:
3/31/2023 The Jewel – Manchester, NH w/ Voluntary Victim, Choke Out, Fistface, Rebuild Rewind
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