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.
Behind The Sun
Sylosis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything will crumble
Within your palms
It is all an illusion
How could you be so blind
In years to come
The skies will conspire against you
Say farewell to the beacon that shines
I've seen the sun
Burn out beyond its years
In years to come
Everyone will turn on you
Within an instant you're on your own
How could you have been so blind
They will leave you behind
I've seen the sun
Burn out beyond its years
As time peels away
I found the truth was safe
I don't owe a thing to this world
This world belongs to me
I am beyond death
Time has taken its toll
A vision so clearly tangible
Reality draws to a halt
Why look for an answer
If you refuse to let go
You're living a lie
I've seen the sun
Burn out beyond its years
As time peels away
I found the truth was safe
I don't belong to this world
This world belongs to me.
The lyrics of "Behind The Sun" by Sylosis depict a sense of apocalyptic doom and a journey towards enlightenment. The song starts by saying that everything, in the end, will crumble within our palms, indicating that everything we perceive to be permanent and stable is just an illusion. The skies will conspire against us, and the beacon that shines bright will leave us behind. The repetition of the phrase "How could you be so blind" emphasizes the idea that the singer's downfall was due to his/her lack of awareness and perception of the reality of things.
The chorus, "I've seen the sun burn out beyond its years," is a metaphor for the singer's journey towards understanding the truth about the world and the universe. As time passes, the truth becomes clearer, and the person no longer feels bound to the constraints of the world. The lyrics "I don't owe a thing to this world, this world belongs to me." suggest that the singer has moved beyond the physical realm, and their understanding of the world has evolved to a point where they feel they belong to a higher plane of existence.
The song's main theme is the importance of understanding reality and breaking free from the illusion that is presented to us. It emphasizes that the journey towards enlightenment is not easy, and there will be consequences for not having an awareness of the world's realities. The song, therefore, encourages listeners to question their beliefs and perceptions of the world and strive towards a deeper understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
In years to come
Looking into the future.
Everything will crumble
The inevitable decline of everything.
Within your palms
Holding everything in your control.
It is all an illusion
Everything you see and believe is not always true.
How could you be so blind
Not recognizing the reality of the situation.
The skies will conspire against you
The surroundings and fate will work together to harm you.
Say farewell to the beacon that shines
Saying goodbye to a guiding light that is now gone.
It has left you behind
Being left alone without a guide or help.
I've seen the sun
An observation of the world.
Burn out beyond its years
Something that has dimmed faster than expected.
In years to come
Looking into the future again.
Everyone will turn on you
Betrayal from those who were once supporters.
Within an instant you're on your own
Sudden isolation.
They will leave you behind
Being forgotten or abandoned by those who once cared.
As time peels away
Passage of time.
I found the truth was safe
Discovering the truth brought comfort.
I don't owe a thing to this world
Living completely independently, without obligation.
This world belongs to me
Self-empowerment and control.
I am beyond death
A sense of invincibility.
Time has taken its toll
The effects of time have accumulated.
A vision so clearly tangible
A goal or aspiration that is achievable.
Reality draws to a halt
A shift in perspective or focus from the physical world.
Why look for an answer
Questioning the purpose of seeking answers.
If you refuse to let go
Holding onto something, even if it is no longer beneficial or true.
You're living a lie
Not accepting the truth and living in denial.
I don't belong to this world
Feeling detached from the world and its norms.
This world belongs to me.
Self-empowerment and control, repeated at the end of the song for emphasis.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Joshua Thomas Middleton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind