SVNEATR

Vancouver, BC’s SVNEATR will be releasing their third album, Never Return, via Prosthetic Records on May 10. Three years in the making, the progressive black metal group’s latest full-length was one born of personal and collective uncertainty. Ten years since SVNEATR’s inception, Never Return sees the band boldly approach their creative zenith.

Following the self-release of their sophomore album, Chinook, in 2021 to a swell of underground praise SVNEATR’s intervening years has seen steady live performances and touring across Canadian soil all whilst Never Return’s creation was meticulously labored over. In moments of downtime against the backdrop of their Vancouver and Okanagan surroundings, SVNEATR’s Vitharr Monteith (guitar and vocals) found himself contending with a growing uncertainty towards the band’s and his own future as well as an increasing sense of unease with the state of the world.

Ushering in the decade with climate emergency, a global pandemic and the ever growing corporate hegemony over community needs and spaces, the primary spark that brought Never Return to life was one of an internal and external world in a state of paralysis. Resignation in the face of despair, however, was never going to be on the cards for SVNEATR.

Commencing self-recording in 2022, with vocals and string arrangements recorded by Ryan Shepard at Little Red Sounds as well as mixing, the quartet’s ambitions for Never Return were realised in full thanks in part to a decade of honing their craft to a point of musical and self-actualization. Where previous releases saw SVNEATR display their dichotomous musicianship in atmospheric passages, Never Return shines with progressive influences taking up more presence.

Whilst black and death metal remain a large part of their musical DNA, Never Return sees SVNEATR introduce cello and contrabass via Shawn Hillman (bass), as well as vocal chanting and clean singing from Monteith. These embellishments bring a celestial quality to their more excoriating passages - see …And When the Storm Comes, Reaper Of The Universe. Elsewhere the melding of the personal and political is found on the imposing title track, as Vitharr and James Readman’s guitar work shines atop bassist Shawn Hillman and drummer Matthew Logan’s palpably intense tempo changes.

Following mastering work by Brad Boatright, SVNEATR brought in self-taught Vancouver, BC artist Basia Swieczko to create the stark and ominous album cover. Through the tumult and toil that provided the impetus of its creation, Never Return stands as a defiant kickback against fatalism.

SVNEATR is:

Guitars/Vocals: Vitharr Monteith

Guitars: James Readman

Bass: Shawn Hillman

Drums: Matthew Logan