Following the release of their cover of CCR’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’ earlier this year, the Gothenburg duo Citizend are back with the first of five singles that form their debut EP, The Spiral.
Due for release this December on Majestic Mountain Records, Citizend sidle the boundaries between Americana, post-rock, and post-metal with its members, Emil Gustavsson and Otto Nilsson, sharing a common goal to break down barriers between archetypal genres.
Intertwined with themes that focus on the profound complexities of life, The Spiral is a conceptual journey that spans a lifetime before the world meets its end. Teetering on the brink of an uncertain future, its narratives delve deep into an individual’s thoughts and experiences about the impending apocalypse, and their first single, the haunting track ‘End of the World’ is where the story begins.
“The genesis behind ‘End of the World’ can be traced back to our first encounter with artificial intelligence,” explains guitarist, Emil Gustavsson. “When prompted with the task to conjure a song lyric for the end of days, we received a chilling response from the AI. Just five words. “It was your own fault.” We thought this revelation served as the cornerstone of the track, reflecting on humanity’s role in its own demise.”
Drawing listeners into a realm of dense and enigmatic Americana Noir, inspired by the likes of Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Neil Young, and Swedish artist Christian Kjellvander, when assembled these five chapters form a soot-black palette that paint an intense and gripping voyage. One that captivates the listener and sets the stage for a mesmerising exploration of sound, narrative, and emotion.
As Majestic Mountain Records owner Marco Berg points out, “Citizend’s debut EP is a ground-breaking endeavour, and one that pushes the boundaries of musical expression. We’re psyched to be a part of it all.”
Unfolding as a multi-faceted exploration of life’s journey, from inception to conclusion and in conjunction with heavy-weight champions Majestic Mountain Records, The Spiral EPwill be released 6th December and can be pre-ordered HERE
Music and lyrics: Citizend
Produced by Citizend
Mixed by Otto Nilsson at LoMid Music
Mastered by Hans Olsson at Svenska Grammofon Studion
Drums: Mattias Hagström (Sarah Klang)
Artwork: Arjen Kunnen
Filmed by Amanda Almgren and Embla Berndtsson Tordal