Sylosis was formed in late 2000 by original member Josh Middleton when they were back in school, as a bunch of kids who just wanted to play metal; mainly old school thrash and death metal. Their first two EPs were released on In at the Deep End records, entitled “Casting Shadows” and “The Supreme Oppressor”. The band has been around since 2001; founding member and lead guitarist Josh and bassist Carl are the only surviving members from the original lineup.
In November, 2007 Sylosis got an email from Nuclear Blast saying they'd love to work with the band and signed to them a month later, in which their debut album was released on October 24 2008. Their debut album Conclusion of an Age has a lot of themes, but is generally not a concept album. Lyrically, the album deals with the end of the human race, in how nature reclaims the earth again. The artwork shows a world living with the human race. There are no religious beliefs behind the writings however. After recording their debut album, guitarist Gurneet Ahluwalia quit the band to rejoin his old band Viatrophy, also from Reading. In his place ex-guitarist Alex Bailey of Viatrophy joined Sylosis, ready for the early 2009 European tour with The Black Dahlia Murder, Cephalic Carnage and Psycroptic.
The band has had many members over the years, many of which have played with, or gone on to play with, other Reading bands such as Exit Ten and Viatrophy.
According to an interview Josh gave to Stream of Conciousness, there's no meaning for the name of the band: "the band name was just something we randomly came up with when we were kids and it doesn't carry any significance".
Edge of the Earth, Monolith and RV Accident (2010–2013)
Sylosis replaced Rise to Remain during the UK leg of As I Lay Dying's European tour in 2010. Sylosis entered the studio in 2010 to record their second full-length studio album, entitled Edge of the Earth; it was released in March 2011. They recorded a third studio album titled Monolith with Romesh Dodangoda in Wales at Monnow Valley Studio. Monolith was released on 5 October 2012 in Germany, 8 October 2012 in UK & Europe, 9 October 2012 in USA, and 10 October 2012 in Japan via Nuclear Blast Records. Since January 2013 the band have headlined a UK tour as well featuring on the Soundwave Festival in Australia. They also carried out a tour with the bands [arist]Hellyeah, In Flames and, headliner Lamb of God in late 2012. The band had a main supporting role on a tour with Killswitch Engage in Europe during April and May 2013. Sylosis was announced as the opening band for the Trivium and DevilDriver North American co-headline tour with After the Burial as another supporting band. The tour was scheduled for October and November.
On 25 September, the members of Sylosis were involved in an RV accident, the injuries from which resulted in the withdrawal of their shows supporting Trivium and DevilDriver.
Dormant Heart, departure of Rob Callard, and hiatus (2014–2016)
After the members of Sylosis had recovered from their respective injuries, they embarked on a tour of the UK and Europe as main support to DevilDriver with Bleed from Within. On this tour Sylosis drummer Rob Callard was unable to play on the tour due to other commitments. Ali Richardson, drummer of Bleed From Within, filled in for the remainder of the tour.
In late September 2014 it was announced that Rob Callard was stepping down as drummer of Sylosis after nine years of playing in the band. His replacement was announced at the same time, in the form of Ali Richardson. Richardson's relationship with Sylosis was started on the DevilDriver tour earlier in the year.
At the start of October 2014, Sylosis announced details of their fourth album Dormant Heart, which was released on 12 January 2015 through Nuclear Blast Records. During the second half of May 2015, Sylosis started a European tour with the band Wovenwar. They also played at several festivals over the summer, such as Graspop Metal Meeting and Hellfest among others. In October 2016, Sylosis announced that they would be going on hiatus as frontman Josh Middleton would be filling in for the British metalcore band Architects on guitar due to the passing of their guitarist Tom Searle, who was also a close friend of Middleton's. After 11 months of touring with Architects, it was announced that Middleton would be joining Architects as an official member, stating he would still remain in Sylosis.
Return and Cycle of Suffering (2019–2020)
In a March 2019 interview, Middleton confirmed that the band remains a going concern and that he intends to release a new Sylosis album in 2019. On 5 December 2019 Nuclear Blast revealed the pre-order for an apparent new record titled Cycle of Suffering, to be released on 14 February 2020. A day later, the band announced they had returned from their hiatus and confirmed that the new album would be released on 7 February 2020. This was followed by the first single release and music video from the album, titled "I Sever".
In promotion of the album, the band supported Trivium on their "A Light or a Distant Mirror" live concert. This particular concert was held at Full Sail University and streamed online. The concert did not have a live audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 11 December 2020 Sylosis released a new single, titled "Worship Decay". On 8 March 2021, Sylosis announced a vinyl release of Conclusion of an Age and released "Plight of the Soul", a previously unreleased B-side track from the album.
Singles and "A Sign of Things to Come" (2020-Present)
On December 11th, 2020, Sylosis released a new single, "Worship Decay," which represented a hard shift away from their previous music into a more pop-metalcore style played by Middleton's other band, Architects. The following two singles, "Immovable Stone" and "Heavy is the Crown" followed the same suit. This change in sound was met with mixed reactions by the band's fanbase.
On September 8th, 2023, the band released their sixth studio album, "A Sign of Things to Come," preceded by lead singles "Deadwood," "Poison for the Lost," and "A Sign of Things to Come. The album followed in the same direction as their three inter-album singles referenced above, with sparse examples of their previous thrash/melodeath/metalcore style, only present on "Poison for the Lost" and "A Godless Throne." The band also deployed the use of soft rock and electronic elements on certain songs. On January 16th, 2024, the band released the pop-metal track "Absent" from their album as a single, along with a techno version of the song remixed by Zetra.
"A Sign of Things to Come" has received mixed reactions among the band's fanbase on social media, receiving criticism for the shift to mainstream metalcore, or "nu-metalcore," as well as criticizing Middleton for turning the band into a clone of Architects, his other band. The title track has also been accused of ripping off Sad But True by Metallica.
Apparitions
Sylosis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The leaves turned from green to grey
A flickering Apparition hovers above
So familiar
Yet so distant
Preserved in age
Icey hands support a somber face
Like a curse of immortality
Father time mocks me
Through grave and tomb
Past valley and precipice
Emerges the ghost of retribution
The horizon burns
Set light by kin and blood
A snake amongst us
Has soured this soil
Sometimes I hope you aren't looking down on me
To witness what I've become
Through time you will see what blinds you
Beholder of all light
Turn back the stone
To your slumber return
Suspended on a tide of obscurity
A wraith missing a crown
It almost feels like
Time is standing still
Yet somehow time
Has drained me of my youth
The years I've waited,
Have all but slipped away,
Torn from me
Father time forever mocks me
I have become,
I have become powerless,
Powerless
I have become,
I have become so emotionless
Through time you will see what blinds you
Beholder of all light
Turn back the stone
To your slumber return
The lyrics of Sylosis's song Apparitions can be interpreted in different ways. The first section talks about the changing of seasons and how quickly time passes. This is followed by the introduction of a flickering apparition, which is described as something that is both familiar and distant. The next section introduces the ghost of retribution that emerges from the grave and tomb, a possible metaphor for guilt or regret. The lyrics further describe the apparent burning of the horizon, which is set by kin and blood, possibly alluding to familial betrayal.
The lyrics also touch on the singer's feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, as the years slip away and Father Time forever mocks them. They express a desire to turn back the stone and return to slumber, perhaps referring to a desire to go back to a simpler time or a metaphorical desire to escape their present situation.
Overall, the lyrics of Apparitions seem to express a sense of loss and regret, with the singer hoping for a chance to undo past mistakes and escape the inexorable passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
How quick the seasons change
The singer reflects on the rapidity of time's passing.
The leaves turned from green to grey
The changing colors of autumn leaves illustrate the fleeting nature of time.
A flickering Apparition hovers above
The singer observes a fleeting ghost-like presence.
So familiar
The artist recognizes the presence or feeling as something they have experienced before.
Yet so distant
The artist laments the distance or separation they feel from this familiarity.
Preserved in age
The presence or feeling has a sense of timelessness or agelessness.
Icy hands support a somber face
The ghost-like presence is depicted as having a sad or mournful expression.
Like a curse of immortality
The artist perceives immortality as a curse, leading to a sense of existential despair.
Father time mocks me
The artist personifies time itself as a mocking figure.
Through grave and tomb, past valley and precipice
The ghost-like presence has traveled through various locations, suggesting a sense of haunting or vengeance.
Emerges the ghost of retribution
The presence is revealed to be a symbol of vengeance or punishment.
The horizon burns, Set light by kin and blood
A metaphor for war or violence caused by conflicts within a family or community.
A snake amongst us, Has soured this soil
A metaphor for a deceitful or corrupt person who has caused harm in the community.
Sometimes I hope you aren't looking down on me, To witness what I've become
The singer fears being judged by someone who has passed away, especially if they have changed for the worse.
Through time you will see what blinds you, Beholder of all light
The singer suggests that with enough time, one may gain clarity and insight into the world.
Turn back the stone, To your slumber return
The artist addresses the presence or spirit, urging it to return to its restful state.
Suspended on a tide of obscurity, A wraith missing a crown
The presence or ghost-like image is depicted as being mysterious and incomplete.
It almost feels like, Time is standing still, Yet somehow time, Has drained me of my youth
The singer paradoxically feels both stagnant and hurried by the passage of time.
The years I've waited, Have all but slipped away, Torn from me
The singer regrets the wasted time they have experienced, which has left them feeling lost and displaced.
I have become, I have become powerless, Powerless
The artist reflects on their feelings of powerlessness in the face of time and life's challenges.
I have become, I have become so emotionless
The artist acknowledges their own emotional numbness and detachment.
Contributed by Alexis J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.