Even among progheads, ALKALOID are metal’s maddest scientists. While testing the boundaries of extremity, the progressive death metal supergroup have explored what lies beneath the Antarctic crust and discovered a galactic civilization that ascends to god-like levels of domination. But on their upcoming live album, the band conduct a one-of-a-kind experiment that only a true maestro can perform. Bach Out of Bounds brings revered classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach in conversation with the heaviest of underground arts.
Today, ALKALOID are releasing the third and final advanced single from Bach Out of Bounds. Even though the original proved to be a stroke of genius, this new classical version of “The Fungi From Yuggoth” emerges as a real live beast.
“This performance captures the essence of Bach Out Of Bounds”, says Morean, ALKALOID‘s chief composer. “‘The Fungi From Yuggoth’ is a pure death metal track, but this version is enhanced by five-string violin and cello with an extended improvisation section.”
Bach Out of Bounds presents both faithful and wildly re-imagined arrangements of three Bach classics. But in a feat of reverse engineering, the album simultaneously transfuses the composer’s heart and soul into ALKALOID’s cannon.
“The idea behind this performance wasn’t necessarily for us to try and write a Bach song”, Morean explains. “We wanted to use Bach’s techniques to write an ALKALOID song”.
Already, “The Fungi from Yuggoth” was one of ALKALOID’s most potent creations. By fusing together highly technical riffing that lands like a meteor with an infectious chorus that nods to H.P. Lovecraft, the song quickly grew on fans of their latest album Numen. However, upon returning to the stage last summer for three special shows in the Netherlands, the band were delighted to introduce freshly twisted threads into its death metal DNA. As new guitarists Justin Hombach and Max Blok shoot off into the stratosphere with dizzying leads, Keteven Ronishvili holds down the low end with bottomless bends of cello.
As the grand finale to Bach Out of Bounds, “The Fungi from Yuggoth” sends ALKALOID off with a big bang. From amidst dark and proggy passageways, five-string violinist Oene van Geel enters into an extended improvisation with drummer Hannes Grossman. Where van Geel keeps raising the tension until the hairs on the back of everyone’s neck are standing up, Grossman sits back before it’s time for the double bass to explode. “These will change everything”, Morean growls, basking in the power and glory of the band’s classic new creation.
“I’m so happy that we can now share this performance with people everywhere. People aren’t going to know what hit them”, Morean says. Bach Out of Bounds is very different from what other metal bands – or even ALKALOID – normally do”.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.