We will be performing at Brick By Brick in San Diego on Jun 7 in support of Mythraeum's new album release show! Also playing are Donella Drive, Cerulean and Fist Fights With Wolves. See you there! đ€đ»đș
We have two new songs currently under production for a split that should be released later this year with an amazing extreme metal group from San Diego that will be revealed at a later date.
Additionally, Temblad will begin tracking for another release in late May, 2024. This and the split mentioned above will definitely show the band once again going in different directions. While not quite as cavernous or foreboding as Hallucignosis, you can definitely except shorter songs, and a thrashier/grindier barrage of riffing. We haven't quite figured out if this will be an EP or another full length just yet. Regardless, our mission is to keep our output consistent and frequent going forward as we always have a ridiculous amount of songs and demos just waiting to be tracked for release. It makes sense for us as we aren't the busiest live band out there, due to our current logistical situation. Composing new Temblad material remotely has never been smoother however.
All in all, we are really excited and happy to keep producing new music. We may be quiet, but we are alive and as strong as ever! And if you made it here, we want to personally thank you for your attention and support. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE #1 REASON TEMBLAD KEEPS GOING!
Celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Hallucignosis! Lorenzo speaks about the album production and the art...
When the time came to find an engineer to mix and master Hallucignosis, we began searching through a database of engineers specializing in mixing metal music. After some consideration, I came across an engineer located in Russia who offered long-distance services. However, his fee was quite steep, which only included three mix revisions.
I also reached out to an engineer from England who kindly provided us with a free test mix. Unfortunately, his interpretation fell short of what we were looking for sound-wise. Remembering our positive experience working with Niko on our previous album, Marlon suggested contacting him to inquire if he would be available to mix and master our new album.
In October 2022, I reached out to Niko, but he didn't respond until several weeks later, leading me to believe he might not be interested. However, he eventually replied and expressed his willingness to work with us starting in December. This timing worked out perfectly for us as we were in the final stages of wrapping up the album.
Once we started communicating with Niko about the specific sound we wanted to achieve, we were quickly reassured that choosing him was the best decision we could have made. Our previous experience working with him had been incredibly smooth, and this time was no different. From the end of December through mid-February, Niko worked on mixing and mastering the album. There was a two-week break during that time when he took a short vacation. Overall, the collaboration with Niko was a remarkable experience, and we were satisfied with the outcome. We couldn't have asked for a more satisfying partnership.
After securing the mixed and mastered version of our chosen single, "Sacrum," our focus shifted towards finalizing it as quickly as possible to prepare for its release. We set a specific date for the single's launch, and two days prior to that, Marlon had the idea of creating a lyric video for "Sacrum" to accompany the release.
Taking it upon himself, he created a visually compelling lyric video. With the assistance of AI-generated imagery, he was able to curate suitable visuals that perfectly complemented the essence of the song. The final result turned out to be quite satisfying, especially when it was done in less than 72 hrs prior to our singleâs release.
As we neared the finalization of the album, we encountered a roadblock when it came to creating the cover artwork. We had initially engaged with a well-established artist known for their work with prominent extreme metal bands. Unfortunately, our collaboration with this artist turned out to be highly unsuccessful.
Despite our efforts to effectively communicate our vision, the artist made unreasonable demands, claiming that we weren't adequately expressing our desires. However, the issue lay in our dissatisfaction with the initial sketches provided. When we requested edits to align the artwork with our vision, tensions escalated rapidly. Frustrated with the situation, we decided to terminate the project, resulting in the loss of half of the agreed-upon final payment.
In dire need of a suitable artist and artwork, I reached out to an old friend who wasn't specifically a metal illustrator but rather an abstract painter. Given the album's title, Hallucignosis, and our desire for abstract visuals, it seemed like a fitting direction to explore. After explaining our concept and making a down payment, we received several sketches that didn't capture the essence we were seeking. Consequently, we decided to cut ties, albeit at the expense of losing some money in the process.
With mounting concerns about finding the right artist and artwork for the album, I went on an online search. One night, I stumbled upon the art of Jeff Klena, and I was completely captivated by the darkness and sinister nature of his paintings. I immediately contacted Jeff and asked if he would be willing to allow us to use one of his paintings, titled "Rasputin's Night Swim," as our album artwork. To our good fortune, he kindly granted us permission.
The imagery in Klenaâs painting perfectly complemented the album's title, and we couldn't have been happier with how seamlessly it visually represented our music. Upon releasing the album, the need for artwork extended to the physical copies. This presented a new challengeâcreating artwork for the CD booklet that incorporated the lyrics.
In this predicament, Marlon took the initiative and utilized AI-generated imagery to create visuals for the inner sleeve. However, it lacked the adequate imagery for the album's lyrics in contrast to the album cover. At this point, Marlon reached out to Jeff, inquiring if he would allow us to use more of his artwork in the lyric booklet. Fortunately, Jeff granted us permission once more.
We are profoundly grateful to Jeff for his generosity in allowing us to feature his one-of-a-kind art on our album. His artwork truly helped establish our visual and musical vision, and we consider him a true champion for his humble and kind nature. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Jeff Klena for contributing to the realization of our album.
- LK
Shows in late 2023
We played a couple shows in late 2023 in our home state of California. Special thanks to the promoters who organized these events and invited us, giving us a change to get out of San Diego for a bit. If you were in attendance, we sincerely hope you enjoyed yourself!
9/10 on metal-temple.com!
Hallucignosis gets another awesome score, 9/10! Read the review at metal-temple.com.
10/10 on dargedik.com!
Hallucignosis gets its first perfect score, 10/10! Check out the review on dargedik.com.
The period between Nevercrown and Hallucignosis spanned nearly 7 years, during which we lacked a concrete plan for
the direction of our music. We embarked on jam sessions, using a metronome as we improvised riffs on the spot.
Through this organic process, we gradually developed a semblance of the instinctive direction we wanted to pursue.
This creative exploration took place between the winter of 2016 through the spring of 2017, resulting in the
compilation of enough riffs to form the skeletal structure of 4-5 new songs.
Before these sessions took place, we had been jamming on a few songs that never made it to our previous records.
Two of these songs, 'The Great Dying' (previously referred to as 'In Dying') and 'Catastrophidian' (formerly known
as 'Serpents'), were actually written a long time ago but remained unpublished and largely forgotten. Determined
to resurrect them, I revisited and reconstructed these tracks in the distinctive Temblad style. It's worth noting
that these songs differ somewhat from the rest of the material featured on our new album, as they are the more
progressive and âepicâ sounding than the newest of the songs on the album.
I composed 'Sacrum' on the spot sometime around 2018. I recall setting up a metronome and immersing myself in an
improvisation session, with a click set somewhere between 200-220 bpm. The riffs emerged spontaneously. However,
the initial composition lacked structure and coherence. To refine the song, I shared a demo version with Marlon,
who dissected it and rearranged the elements into a cohesive whole. We have since adhered to this version since
2019, although we made some riffs longer to accommodate the vocals. These adjustments took place after recording
all the instruments, just before wrapping up the production of the new album.
'Dierex' was another reworked song in our repertoire. Marlon and I worked collaboratively in the studio, engaging
in back-and-forth sessions to arrange the riffs I had prepared, complemented by a drum intro that Marlon wanted to
experiment with. Interestingly, we performed a significantly distinct rendition of this song live on a few
occasions with our former bassist, Mai-Coh. It bears little resemblance to the version featured on the album.
I ended up assuming the main responsibility for writing lyrics in five out of the six songs on the new
album. While these lyrics predominantly explore themes of existential damnation and the looming specter of death,
I sought to infuse them with a blend of brutal and poetic elements. For instance, 'The Great Dying' delves into
the demise of the ego, inspired by my personal encounter with psilocybin over the years. Initially titled
'Hallucignosis,' it delved into the clandestine perception attained through altered states of consciousness.
However, after several discussions, we collectively decided to name the album 'Hallucignosis' and incorporated
'The Great Dying' as a song title. In its lyrics, I delve into how an individual's ego perishes through the
process of hallucination, leading to the birth of a new consciousness.
'Catastrophidian' delves into how the worst-case scenario can be encapsulated by an individual's wretched
existence, as they desperately seek refuge in religion, therapy, hard drugs, alcohol or the oblivion of their own
making, all while turning a blind eye to the world around them. The song paints a picture of a feeble and
weak-minded individual, devoid of the strength and determination necessary to confront the inner demons that
plague them.
'Supramundane Predations' draws inspiration from someone I knew who was fully aware of having a transmittable
venereal disease, yet lived with a complete disregard for the well-being of others. This individual, plagued by
profound depression, callously utilized their charm to perpetuate the spread of their affliction, displaying an
utter lack of remorse.
'Sacrum' presents a sensationalized depiction of the existence of a hidden reptilian race operating within our
society. The song delves into the conspiracy theory that affirms powerful figures within our government engage in
the consumption of infant blood, a misguided pursuit of immortality or access to a fabled fountain of youth,
obtained through the secretion of the adrenochrome gland. The lyrics shed light on the normalization of such
practices, presenting them as part of a NWO religion.
'Dierex' delves into the inherent struggle of existence on Earth, from the primal moment of birth, characterized
by cries and tears, to the eventual eternal rest in the grave. Symbolism such as the Ouroboros, embodied as a
devouring worm consuming its own tail, captures the cyclical nature of life and death. The lyrics explore the
possibility of transcending mortality and conquering the metaphorical worms that perpetuate the cycle of death
The process of creating this album was an exhaustive journey, but it was the culmination of years of dedication,
experimentation, and countless revisions. We poured our souls into every aspect, from the rearrangements to the
sonic exploration, pushing ourselves as both musicians and engineers. The countless debates and arguments,
sometimes to the point of frustration, ultimately made us better at our craft.
As we listened to the first of the final mixes, the obvious effort and attention to detail became apparent. We
realized just how much hard work went into every track. We also became aware that the album might sound off-kilter
to some ears, and we embrace that. This is an album that demands repeated listens, where the true rewards are
reaped by those who invest their time and delve deep into its intricacies. It may not provide instant
gratification, but the journey it offers is worth it.
Our first album Nevercrown was released in 2016 while I was studying abroad in Chile. Upon returning from South
America, I purchased some
starter microphones and the Presonus Studio 192 recording interface. We got busy tracking demos
at our rehearsal space as I was wrapping up my last semester of college.
In December of 2016, things were starting to get rough. Although there was the minute sense of accomplishment
graduating from San Diego State University, I was living at our rehearsal space and going through a
depressing breakup. This wasn't the only time self destruction was a priority for me, but my drinking was
becoming the worst it has ever been. My second home was a bar not too far
from the rehearsal space, and I was becoming a regular kareoke star in my wildest escapes from reality.
Jobless and without any real motivation outside of music, jamming at the rehearsal space and putting together
new songs was the only thing keeping me going... well, that, and unemployment benefits. In a way, the excessive
imbibing
helped me get through it, but I would never rely upon or condone that kind of coping
mechanism these days. Something came out of all of this... call it some kind of sick determination if you will.
In January of 2017, the first demos of the song "To Unbecome Empty in Rot" (track 1 from Hallucignosis) were
structured. Lorenzo and I had a
very raw method of recording improvisational jam sessions. I would go back to the sessions later and identify
all the magical parts where our playing was at its catchiest or most interesting. From there, I would spend more
time structuring those parts into preliminary song structures. This structure was referred to as "Snide" at the
time and for many years after.
There were no lyrics at the time, but there was plenty going on that inspired the direction
towards a more violent and chaotic approach with the music. We were wanting to get away from the more
bouncy/campy grooves that were present on the previous album. The first version of the Snide demo lacked any
structure
at all, and some riffs were starting to tread into more blackened doom territory, much like my life at the time.
It wasn't until the very end of vocal tracking for the album that the
song was still undergoing its final revisions and structure changes, practically 6 years later.
As the songwriting process developed further, To Unbecome Empty In Rot became the story of self-antipathy, and
the reinvigoration of purpose through music. Lorenzo requested assistance with the lyrics for this song, and so
they were finally written in 2022 as I was
sitting at a neighborhood bar, reaching back to vivid memories and recurring blackouts of 2017.
As an easter egg of sorts, the title To Unbecome Empty in Rot is a
reference to the last line of lyrics from the final song on the
Nevercrown album, Giest. Lorenzo wanted to use those lyrics as a title to segue the whole transformation
from
Nevercrown to Hallucignosis. This is the only track on Hallucignosis where I wrote lyrics and contributed any
vocals.
The song Supramundane Predations (track 6 off Hallucignosis) also was first demoed out in 2017, following the
same improvisational process and
shrouded within an even more ominous atmosphere. This song and To Unbecome serve as the bookends to an album that
I believe
is our most cohesive and most chaotic yet.
Hallucignosis drops May 18!
- MBM
Upcoming shows⊠SD and TJ⊠Hallucignosis album release show!
TO UNBECOME EMPTY IN ROT
SACRUM
DIEREX
THE GREAT DYING
CATASTROPHIDIAN
SUPRAMUNDANE PREDATIONS
The first taste of the album will be the lyric video for the song Sacrum. The rest of the album will be
available
on Bandcamp and Spotify shortly after.
The album is mixed and mastered by Niko
Hyvönen, who also did our last album, Nevercrown.
The cover art is done by Jeff
Klena.
We would like to
thank him for letting us use his work! Also, thanks to Luke
Snyder for assistance with the editing.
We are so thrilled to finally release this body of work which was seven years in the making. More to come soon!
In other news, we also would like to announce the recent addition of Matt Ponder on bass. You may know of him
from
his band Genestealer, who happens to be San Diegoâs best
grindcore band, hands down. We are so grateful to have him in the band as we are all close friends.
We had our first show since pre-covid on 11/20/22.
Thank you to Israel Pelayo of San Diego Metal Swap Meet for inviting
us to open the Dragon Rojo Metal Fest!
2022- August
We've been quiet on the internet...
But we have not been quiet where it really counts⊠in the studio. We finished recording all the songs for the
next album. The mixing/mastering stage is currently underway. More info regarding our next album coming soon.
In regards to live performance, we have been rehearsing with a new bassist and have a complete set ready for
live performance. The time for us to hit the stage again is soon coming⊠thanks for visiting us and stay
tuned!
Temblad in an era of Covid-19
The band has obviously been put on hold as far as live performances are concerned. However, songs for the
upcoming second Temblad album are currently under production remotely. Big progress is being made and the wait
will be well worth it. The compositions are taking shape in ways we never previously imagined. The envelope is
constantly being pushed. We are proud of what we accomplished with Nevercrown, but the new material is the next
level of Temblad in terms of songwriting and technical prowess. While we do miss playing shows and keeping up
with our regular performance routine, Covid-19 has no means of slowing us down when it really boils down to it.
Realistically, with the year coming closer to an end, we can reasonably expect the new album to drop sometime
next year. Hopefully by that time shows will be happening again, but we arenât counting on it. We may take part
in some live streams in the future, so stay tuned!
