Sylosis: "Straight up metal is less common these days"

Sylosis are one of the most high-quality bands in modern metal throughout their more than fifteen-year career, with incredible albums . This year, they released the EP "The Path", following up last year's fantastic album "A Sign Of Things To Come". So, we seized the opportunity to speak with Josh Middleton about Sylosis, his involvement with Architects, and his love for heavy music.

First of all congratulations on your new EP which sounds really fantastic and I have to say that it by no means feels like a sum of leftovers from your last, also tremendous, album. Now, let's begin with your latest full album, "A Sign Of Things To Come". Are you happy with how the album is received so far?

Yeah I’m really happy with the response to that record. It feels like people could really feel the energy that we put into that record. We wanted to make sure the songs were the best they could be and playing them live really brings them to life.

Heaviness was the main focus for me

I have to say that it is both really heavy but also full of melodies. Was that a decision made before you started writing or did it sort of happen on the way?

The focus was writing the best music possible. We wanted to make the album super heavy, but also feel anthem as well. I think the heaviness was the main focus for me. Trying to bring some more life into our recordings compared to what we had done in the past.

I’ve always been drawn towards dark music

The second thing I noticed is that the album feels somewhat darker, what led to this?

I think I’ve always just been drawn towards dark music. I don’t know if it’s deliberate or just something so engrained in me at this point.

"Deadwood" has this lyrical climax that starts with disappointment and builds up to rage, a motive that seems to repeat itself in the next, self-titled one as well. They really sound like political songs, calling for a fight. Is it indeed like that?

No that’s not exactly the case. I don’t think there’s anything calling for a fight in our lyrics. They are songs about the state of the world, but I’m not sure how politicized they are really

Do you feel that music, and art in general, is an element of society and as such it does have a role in its progression? But on the other hand the musician himself, being a part of this society, is many times heavily disheartened by the shape it’s taking? Is that the reason why the lyrics in your latest album keep anger and sorrow in balance throughout it?

I’m not entirely sure I understand the question. Lyrically I think I’m always drawn to a certain aesthetic in the way I write and what fits the vibe of our music. I don’t think that would change no matter what’s happening in the rest of the world.

"Monolith" was the album that made me a fan of Sylosis. I think it was inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, is that true? How did this come to interest you so much? Do you feel there is a connection between that myth and today's world?

I kind of stole some elements of that story in terms of some of the themes. But that’s more of a fantasy storyline. Nothing that connects to today’s world.

I still have the same love for heavy music as when I first discovered it as a kid

"The Path" is out and, I have to say, I think that the opening track is one of the heaviest you have ever written. When was it composed, and what are the lyrics talking about?

All of those songs were recorded when we did the album. We had no idea which songs were going to be on the final track listing. The song "The Path" is just about my love of and dedication to heavy music. It’s pretty much the only music I listen to and it’s all I really care about. Still have the same love for it as when I first discovered it as a kid.

The whole EP feels like every song has a different and unique approach musically and, for the most part, gives me the impression that the lyrics are more personal. Is this the reason they were cut from the album or was it a matter of keeping it streamlined, compared to your considerably lengthier first albums?

We recorded all of those songs at the same time and when it came to picking which songs made it to the full-length album, I just let our label and management pick the track listing. So it had nothing to do with the lyrics.

I guess we’ve never really fit in with any of the other scenes out there. We’re not metalcore or deathcore, we’re not a purist thrash band etc

I really believe that Sylosis has always been one of the most underrated bands in modern metal. Do you think the reason behind this is how difficult it is to categorize your music or is there another reason for it?

I guess we’ve never really fit in with any of the other scenes out there. It’s made touring with other bands tricky in some ways. We’re not metalcore or deathcore, we’re not a purist thrash band etc. So maybe that’s part of it. I guess more straight up metal is less common these days.

If you look at Pantera, they got heavier with each record. That was always the coolest thing to me as a kid and still is

Sylosis shifted away quite early from the typical metalcore style moving to a more thrash, groove and melodeath approach. Would it be quite safe to assume you are not going to get lighter on your sound, taking a more commercial route, any time soon?

No definitely not. I always looked up to bands who got heavier with each album. Although I don’t like our fans to be disappointed, if I ever seen comments about "where’s all the melodic stuff, the new record is more focused on the heavy stuff" I can’t help but take that as a compliment. If you look at Pantera, they got heavier with each record. That was always the coolest thing to me as a kid and still is.

When should we expect a new Sylosis full album? What new elements should we expect to find in it, if any?

We’re always writing but I’m not sure when we’ll be back in the studio next. I think just pushing forward with the heaviness is most important to me.

Going back to the latest full album, "Descent" sounds a bit like a song that could be included in a heavier Architects release. Was it written with that prospect in mind, or is it simply that being in that band had some effect on your songwriting?

No the riff in that song was inspired by Decapitated and Pantera. I just wanted to bring in some more groove to what we did. If I wasn’t ever in that band, I don’t think anyone would ever make that comparison.

Those albums were just me and Dan writing. I was the only person contributing riffs to the band

You have been a member of Architects for seven years and i can recognize your impact on the songwriting of "Holy Hell" and "For Those That Wish To Exist", but I have to admit that with "The Classic Symptoms Of A Broken Spirit" I couldn’t spot your style in it. Did you contribute to the songwriting of all three albums?

Yeah those albums were just me and Dan writing. I was the only person contributing riffs to the band. It was just a case of those guys wanting to try different things so I changed how I was writing stylistically to appease the more ‘industrial’ vibe. Which wasn’t hard for me as I love Nine Inch Nails etc

I have the impression that you left Architects due to musical differences. You listen to really heavy stuff and that didn’t fit with the direction the band was going. Was that the reason indeed or did you want to focus more on Sylosis, did you feel you were leaving your band behind all those years?

Musical differences yeah. I only really listen to thrash and death metal to be honest.

With Architects you were playing on high spots in huge festivals and to far greater arenas than with Sylosis. How easy does it feel now to play live in smaller, more intimate venues? Do you miss the grand scale lives of Architects?

I just like playing this type of music. I don’t really mind the venue. We still get to play big stages at certain festivals etc so I’m really happy with where Sylosis is at

Back to "A Sign Of Things To Come", it came out last year but you didn’t go on extended touring with it then, while now I see you have booked quite a busy schedule for the months to come. Why did you leave such a gap between the release and a full tour supporting and promoting it?

That’s just how it happens sometimes. It depends on the offers we get to tour. I don’t think the wait was that long. The record came out in Sept and 2 months later we did a full UK/European tour

Since your second album, when you first took over the singing, you have come a very long way with the level of your performance and your technique. Did you take any lessons? How did you come to decide to become the band’s lead singer?

Thank you! I did have some lessons during the pandemic but that was more to figure out some problems I was having with my technique. My melodic singing has just been something that I’d been working on in recent years. I decided to do vocals because we didn’t want to spend a long time looking for a replacement and lose all the momentum we’d built up.

What is the writing procedure for Sylosis? Do you write everything by yourself or do all the members contribute to an extent?

I do most of the writing on my own but I really try and include the other guys. There’s a lot more collaboration and input from the other guys these days. I’m always pestering everyone else to give me riffs. Ali definitely put his own stamp on the drums.

If you had to choose five bands that have influenced Sylosis music which ones would it be?

Death, Metallica, Pantera, Slipknot and Morbid Angel

Your early albums are really hard to find on vinyl, and even more pricey. To go further I have the impression that "Monolith" was never released on vinyl. Do you have any plans of reissuing them or does it feel quite pointless since the basic listening source nowadays is streaming platforms?

I think we do get a lot of people asking for our records on vinyl so I’m sure we’ll end up putting them all out on vinyl.

You have never performed in Greece, neither with Sylosis nor with Architects, and I see you haven’t scheduled a date here with the upcoming European tour either. Should I get worried that you are avoiding us on purpose? I think the Greek crowd would really love a show here!

It’s definitely not on purpose. We just never get offered shows there. That’s how touring works. The bands don’t go out deciding where to play. If we get offered a show in Greece, I’d love to come over!