Swarm Effect – A death metal band made up of two members separated by almost 4000 kilometers. Swarm Effect was founded in Kropyvnytskyi in 2016. That same year, they released a demo and played several live shows. After that, the band went on a long hiatus due to the members moving to different cities. During this time, guitarist Denys Burlaka played with another Kropyvnytskyi band, Killscream, while the vocalist relocated to Portugal and continued working on his vocals. In 2023, the two decided to revive the band as a studio project, since they now lived in different countries. And so began a new chapter in the band’s history.
The album recording process took about a year, though most of the material was written much earlier, with some songs dating back to 2016. Since Swarm Effect is now strictly a studio project and doesn’t have a permanent drummer, they brought in session musician Krzysztof Klingbein from Poland to handle the drums. Klingbein is currently a session drummer for Belphegor and has also worked with Vader, Hate, and Batushka. For Swarm Effect, the collaboration was a positive experience, as the music resonated with Klingbein and the musicians shared a clear vision for the final result. The mixing of the tracks was handled by the band’s guitarist, Denys Burlaka.
"Cotard's Syndrome" is a concept album that takes listeners on a journey through the darkest states of the human soul. Each track intertwines with the others, painting a picture that reveals the shadowy sides of human consciousness and the modern world. It’s a musical work that pushes you to reflect on your own existence. All seven tracks are steeped in a somber atmosphere, pulling you into the depths of your own fears, disappointments, and losses. This isn’t just music—it’s a manifesto of existing in a collapsing world, where each step brings the realization of the end, yet urges you to live as if tomorrow doesn’t exist.
The album’s theme revolves around the fragility of human existence. The cover, featuring a demonic woman’s face in profile, symbolizes internal decay and the fragility of reality, as if it’s shattering like glass. The artwork was created by Kropyvnytskyi-based artist Kateryna Shlapachuk.
"Cotard's Syndrome" is an invitation into a world where darkness and chaos not only frighten but also provoke deep thought about the meaning of life and the reality surrounding us.
Short Descriptions of the Songs:
1. Personal Hell: From the very first track, listeners are plunged into the endless internal hell that resides within each of us. The struggle against one’s demons becomes a relentless war with no winners—only losses.
2. Lilith: This track continues exploring the destructive aspects of human nature, immersing the listener in a treacherous world of addictions that consume individuals, transforming them into mere shadows of their former selves.
3. Outcome: The third track echoes a prophecy of humanity's end. However, instead of despair, we hear a call to live life fully, without regrets. It serves as a reminder that even in the face of inevitable demise, there is still room for life and self-expression.
4. Chosen Ones / 6. Ocean of Lies: Tracks four and six delve into the essence of power that grips us in its claws, turning people into slaves. They convey the grand lie that permeates society, leaving us as empty shells devoid of our own thoughts and will.
5. Journey on Down: This song is a journey through a surreal and haunting landscape of nightmares. It encapsulates the concept of a parallel world that one can enter during sleep—a realm where fears and dreams intertwine, creating vivid and sometimes disturbing experiences.
7. Echoes of Eternity: The album closes with a track dedicated to memories of long-gone times. It evokes nostalgia for something that can never return, yet it still holds the warmth of a dream that may one day come true.
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