KŌDEM: SORROW OF DOWN SINGLE RELEASE

Newcastle Prog Rock band Kōdem have released their three-track debut ep "tattooed sin" with single "sorrow of down". Sorrow of

down is the first part of a trilogy to be completed next year.

get your rowing arms ready as we dive into the sorrow of down. "our ships have come across the sea, with eyes of passion endlessly, we've come to raid your winter stores, we've come to claim your golden shores." s.o.d is the perfect blend of tool and amon Amarth, with the theatrical and expansive production of tool and Scandinavian centric lyricism of amon amarth. i'm personally not normally much of a prog fan, but I was immediately pulled into the 5.5 minute long song. "row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row."

"It is really about the madness of belief. How people will fight, kill, and die thinking they’re righteous. It’s not just about Vikings, history and heritage, it’s about us now. That blind devotion, what we do to maintain that, be it physically or mentally to hold that devotion. Is it our beliefs in a force, a higher form or a god, or deep beliefs in our families? We want the people who listen to make it about whatever it feels to them. The song’s built to feel relentless, like rowing into a storm, or a life you can’t escape."

"you show the sign of what you live for, you say his name is what you're dying for, our hearts they are dreams of Norse War, I can't believe what you're fighting for."

With crashing cymbals that feel like the thunderous hammering of Mjölnir, and guitar riffs to equal towering and heavy waves pulling you

into Rán's hands, this song will take you on a journey. The track has an overall feeling of impending doom and spiralling into what I will describe as spiritual cultism and psychosis.

"violence will be our only way" As a Norse Pagan myself I am well acquainted with the "f**k yeah viking! Odin! Valhalla!" sector that the religion tends to attract and have also seen the sector that sees the gods in anything and everything and miss the general point of the entire faith system, this song not-so-subtly calls out that behaviour which is honestly quite refreshing. "'orrow say of own 'day." all-in-all I am excited to see where the final two instalments of this tale will take us.

You can find Kōdem on: spotify, apple music, facebook, instagram, youtube and tiktok

For fans of: Tool, Karnivool, The Tea Party, Alice in Chains and The Butterfly Effect

8/10