New Music From Belgium
AMENRA SIGN TO RELAPSE RECORDS NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM COMING 2021 By Tank album Mass 1 in 2003. Relapse Records is happy to announce The band’s unique style has been that they just signed Belgium rockers’ described as “brooding atmospheres and Amenra to their roster. Ever since Relapse spiritual intensity” with a style rooted in caught wind of these Belgium “doom metal, “doom metal and hardcore punk.” Their live hardcore punk” rockers, they knew they had concerts are often accompanied with visual to add them to their label, and now they are art, described as “entrancing communions. happy to announce that Amenra has joined Shortly before the release of the band’s the Relapse family. sixth album, Mass VI, Colin H. Van Eeckhout The band tells us, “We are thrilled to explained his music to The Independent. “We announce that from now on we will be signed have one story to tell and it is always the to Relapse records. A haven to a lot of our same. I always write about life’s pain. I friends, and now to us as well. We are always use personal experiences as a looking forward to work with this more than reference to relate as truthfully and as capable team, and are eager to see where it honestly possible, from the heart. I try to will lead us. Our new record will see its first bend the darkness into the light… From the light mid 2021. Ever onwards.” beginning, our intention with the Mass In 1999 former Spineless members, albums was to devise a platform for selfvocalist Colin H. Van Eeckhout and guitarist reflection, to set a base for introspection: that Mathieu Vandekerckhove formed Amenra moment when you’re on your knees and you alongside former bassist Kristof J. Mondy. ask questions that don’t have answers.” Since the band was formed, they have been Amenra has been very influential in thrilling audiences worldwide through their the Belgium community for nurturing the concerts and their 6 previously released metal movement there. In 2005 they formed studio albums, along with three live albums. a collective called the Church of Ra which Their six studio albums were named “Mass”, was composed of like-minded friends from hence Mass 1, Mass 2, Mass 3, Mass 4, Mass various aspects of the entertainment industry. 5, and Mass 6. In addition to that, they have This included musicians, poets, and artists. also released a number of split 7" and 10" In a 2014 interview, Colin H. Van Eeckhout releases in which they share the release with said, “We started working together in another band. They released their debut different projects with Amenra and side 80 Rock and Blues International • Novemer 2020
projects Kingdom, Syndrome, etc… When Lennart Bossu and Levy Seynaeve joined Amenra, Oathbreaker and Hessian got formed. We worked together with Tomas Lootens and Valentijn Goethals from Webecameaware for layouts artwork etc, they are also in The Black Heart Rebellion. Treha Sektori from Paris also works with us a lot. I started talking to him in 2009, and soon thereafter we formed Sembler Deah, New projects CHVE, Harlowe, Caan, Darak, Wiegedood are being formed. Through the years photographers like Stefaan Temmerman, Jeroen Mylie, Thomas Sweertvaegher worked with us as well, dancer choreographer Thomas Steyaert, visual artist/graphic designer Tine Guns and so much more.’ With the band’s signing now to Relapse Records, it will be interesting to see how their style progresses on the new album. Will it be a continuation of Mass, or will it evolve into something more complicated. We’ll be finding out this next year when they release their new album. Amenra is Colin H. Van Eeckhout (Vocals), Mathieu Vandekerckhove (Guitars), Bjorn Lebon (Drums), Lennart Bossu (Guitars), and Tim De Gieter (Bass).
