Canadian alt-metal act Sumo Cyco will release its new album, “Initiation,” on May 7, 2021, via Napalm Records. Pre-orders are available here, and a new music video for “Bystander” can be seen below.
Frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam said: “‘Bystander’ was inspired by the frustration of our lives turning upside down in this pandemic. I felt like instead of living my life, I was now a slave to a screen, watching the world fall apart right before my eyes, totally helpless. The music video depicts my character trapped in a floating house watching news events taking place on TV, and at the same time, right outside my window. This entire video was produced, filmed and edited by Matt and I in our home studio!”
As with its predecessors “Lost in Cyco City (2014),” “Opus Mar” (2017) and several singles, “Initiation” is based in the imaginative conceptual location of “Cyco City.” But unlike most concept albums, the lyrical content is inspired by the band’s real-time environment–featuring timely, personal themes of love, sacrifice, anxiety, empowerment and more.
“The album’s title, ‘Initiation,’ stems from wanting to invite the audience to be ‘initiate’” into our world,” Sweetnam said. “There are usually two congruent themes to each of our albums–one is real-world inspiration, and the other is “Cyco City”, a comic book-esque alternate universe where all our music videos take place. With ‘Initiation,’ we introduce four gangs or clubs. Our music videos for ‘Initiation’ all include a theme of these clubs–whether it’s gang vs. gang, a forbidden love between opposing sides, or the idea of having to choose where you belong.
Outside of the story, the lyrics relate to the polarization of the world we live in now. We all have a longing to belong, but what makes one feel accepted or ostracized from a group? To be INITIATED, would you be willing to try to understand another point of view? I have always written lyrics about internal struggle, the war within oneself. Throughout the album, we bounce back and forth between struggle and overcoming. It reflects the times, and there are moments that seem a bit dark.”
“Initiation” will be available in North America in the following formats:
– Digital Album
– CD Digipak
– LP Gatefold Orange Vinyl
– Die Hard Limited Edition: LP Gatefold Purple/Yellow/Pink Inkspot Vinyl + 7” Orange Transparent Vinyl Single w/ Two Bonus Tracks + Signed Photo (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 300 worldwide)
