Khemmis are gearing up to release their first album in three years entitled Deceiver. Their first single and video from that record is “Living Pyre.” Deceiver is six tracks of desolate, soul crunching heaviness that’s been close to three years in the making. The title reflects the internal struggles many of us battle in our daily lives.
Guitarist/vocalist Ben Hutcherson comments:
“When it comes to my own mental health, when I’m in a bad place, I can’t access the part of me that creates art. After reaching that understanding of myself, the bulk of this song came out in one sitting. I was feeling stable. I was feeling hopeful–even though so much outside in the world was not exactly inspiring. All of us needed a reason to feel a glimmer of hope.”
Regarding the thematic elements of the new record, vocalist/guitarist Phil Pendergast states:
“Thematically, all of the songs are about the many ways that we are tricked into believing these stories about ourselves—that we are broken, that we are not good enough, that our genetics determine our fate. This title is the label that we put on our minds as a force that tricks us into believing these stories. The record’s lyrical trajectory is similar to Dante’s descent into an Inferno of his own making. It is our darkest album to date.”
If you’re in Brooklyn December 11, show Khemmis some love and catch their gig at Saint Vitus Bar. Buy tickets here.
Preorder Deceiver here.
Visit the official Khemmis website here.
Photo by Jason Sinn
