Aktaion sprung to life in 2015 with the release of their debut album Throne. Throne was the result of a long time collaboration between the members going back to 2010. The positive reception which came from reviewers and new fans led to the initiative to take Aktaion beyond its hold up in Halmstad, Sweden. Wyrd Ways Rock Show praised the heavy side of Throne as in: "If you are a fan of full-on heaviness – we’re talking mosh-pit heaviness – then Aktaion are definitely for you."
Quite eager to release new material, Aktaion went into writing mode. As main driving force behind Aktaion since the beginning, Francis Larsson took the initiative yet again for their second album. Planned to be a shorter EP grew into a full-length onslaught of eleven songs under the title "the Parade of Nature"!
Francis had this to say about the writing and recording:
"With the mindset I had during the writing and recording of the album I managed to create quite a special format for Aktaion to exist within. Some of the songs turned out quite different from what one could expect and we were not afraid to challenge the format of the genre we are so often placed in. I also wanted to take the vocals, and Jonas, to a new emotional peak on this second album, which we managed to do!"
While the album was mixed and mastered in the spring of 2016 Aktaion went out to tour the northern parts of Europe. As Oskar filled the position of live-drums Aktaion took their own variation of Swedish melodic death metal from the south of Sweden to the most northern holdings of Finland.
In April, Aktaion went south and visited east Europe and the Balkans as part of the Blood Mantra Balkan Tour 2016 with Krysthla, Thy Disease, Hate and the legendary Decapitated.
During the two week tour Aktaion visited and played in front of some of the most amazing crowds in a total of 13 cities in 9 countries.
Aktaion is released their second album, "the Parade of Nature" on July 29, 2016. Behind the release of the album Aktaion played a short run of Sweden before preparing for another tour of Europe in the autumn of 2016!
"The album is grazed with guest performances from Christopher Amott (ex-Arch Enemy, Armageddon) as well as Joey Concepcion (Dead by Wednesday, Armageddon) which brought these songs to a next level. The title track featuring Amott is taken beyond amazing with the climatic solo he performed in my very apartment in our shared hometown."
The Parade of Nature is a collection of songs from a time where there is no hope and no bright future. The songs deal with the prospect of loosing what we depend upon the most, and the guilt, angst, anger and sorrow that follows.
The Parade of Nature is in a lot of ways a concept album with regards to different lyrical themes, lyrics, melodies and progressions intertwining between the songs and throughout the album. Words about it as main driving force behind the music:
"I wanted the songs to have broader connection beyond being just great songs gathered on the same CD. I broke some of my own barriers which said 'I can´t do this or that' such as in repeating different lyrics and melodies. But writing like that became easier, especially as I wrote most of the songs parallel to each other and my mindset as in meaning and emotion behind the lyrics remained the same. There are continues references between the songs on the new album and I feel this creates both an listening experiences that differs from how you might perceive an album otherwise, and also something that pays off in listening to the album as a whole while studying the lyrics. To add to the concept of Aktaion and bind our two albums together, I reused melodies from our first album. This idea became the opening track on the album, which I then continued building upon and brought with me into the other songs."
Status: Active
Years Active: 2010-Present
LINE UP
Jonas Snäckmark - Vocals
Francis Larsson - Guitars
Axel Croné - Bass
Jonatan Ney - Guitars & vocals
Oskar Johnsen Rydh - Live drums
Country of Origin: Sweden
Location: Halmstad, Hallands län
Genre: Progressive Death Metal | Groove Metal
Current label: Unsigned/Independent
Booking/Press Contact: aktaionswe@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aktaion1
Bandcamp: https://aktaion.bandcamp.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aktaionofficial
The Parade of Nature (Full-Length Album - 2016)
Released July 29, 2016
Credits
Mixed by Staffan Birkedal at Soul Noise Studios
Mastered by Ry Wick at Violent Groove
Artwork by Sigma Collective
Guest Musicians
Christopher Amott - Guitars
Joey Concepcion - Guitars
John Anderberg - Vocal and vocal arrangements
Hanna Lindqvist - Keyboards
Pre-order at:
Bandcamp: https://aktaion.bandcamp.com/merch
Big Cartel: http://aktaionofficial.bigcartel.com
