Progressive death metallers THE ZENITH PASSAGE today present their latest single, “Fleshbound Reliquary.” Mixed and mastered by Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Allegaeon, Archspire, Cephalic Carnage) with artwork by Shindy Reehal (Psycroptic, Lamb Of God, Kreator, Angelmaker), the track serves as the band’s first new output from the band since 2023’s critically adored and chart topping Datalysium full-length as well as the first song drummer Maximillian Sepulveda appears on.

Comments vocalist Derek Rydquist, “‘Fleshbound Reliquary’ depicts a world and existence where resources have been so ravaged that we are forced to look towards ourselves as the means of production for what comes next.”

Adds guitarist Justin McKiney, “Musically, the track features a series of tightly interlocked rhythmic motifs executed with laser precision, all within a traditional song structure. The piece is primarily in 3, culminating in a grand, climactic resolution of the main motif that transitions into a powerful 4 feel for an epic close.”

Stream/purchase the track at: metalblade.com/thezenithpassage

THE ZENITH PASSAGE is currently wrapping up a successful North American tour which began October 30th supporting labelmates Entheos. “We’re honored to be part of Entheos’ first headlining tour,” offers Rydquist, “Our bands go back over twenty years in some form or another – Derek has been playing shows with Entheos drummer Navene [Koperweis] since high school! – and it’s awesome to continue to be part of each other’s success. We’re playing the new song on this run, our brothers in Fallujah are bringing the shred, and our new friends in Tracheotemy are bringing the heavy, so be sure to show up early and get a taste of everything metal can give you in 2025.” See all remaining dates below.

THE ZENITH PASSAGE w/ Entheos, Fallujah, Tracheotomy [remaining dates]:
12/02/2025 Orpheum – Tampa, FL
12/03/2025 Conduit – Orlando, FL
12/04/2025 Masquerade (Purgatory) – Atlanta, GA
12/05/2025 Eulogy – Asheville, NC
12/06/2025 Exit/In – Nashville, TN

Hailing from Los Angeles, California, THE ZENITH PASSAGE features Justin McKiney (ex-The Faceless), Brandon Giffin (ex-The Faceless, Cynic), Derek Rydquist (ex-The Faceless, John Frum), Chistopher Beattie, and Maximillian Sepulveda. Formed in 2012 by McKinney as a small recording project, the band began turning heads after the release of their debut EP, Cosmic Dissonance and ultimately became a full touring outfit.

THE ZENITH PASSAGE:
Justin McKinney – guitars
Chistopher Beattie – guitars
Brandon Giffin – bass
Derek Rydquist – vocals
Maximillian Sepulveda – drums

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Datalysium, the latest full-length from progressive death metal outfit THE ZENITH PASSAGE, shook Billboard charts upon its first week of release, earning the #4 position on Top New Artists Albums chart! Additional Billboard chart positions include:

Featuring an overhauled lineup that sees original guitarist/keyboardist/backing vocalist Justin McKinney joined by guitarist Christopher Beattie (Dreamer), vocalist Derek Rydquist (ex-The Faceless, John Frum), and bassist Brandon Giffin (ex-The Faceless, Cynic), Datalysium finds THE ZENITH PASSAGE further pushing disparate influences to the forefront of their sound. Relentless from start to finish, the record is a flawless marriage of technicality, atmosphere, melody, and shifting dynamics, constantly demanding the listener’s undivided attention. From opener “The Axiom Of Error” with its stop-start attack to the agitated, richly textured and unstoppable “Synaptic Depravation,” or the dramatic, lush and epic closing title track, THE ZENITH PASSAGE is relentlessly creative and insistently push their sound in interesting, engrossing directions.

Datalysium was recorded between McKinney’s home studio and Rydquist’s apartment, with some vocals tracked at Flatline Audio with Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Wake), who also mixed the album. McKinney handled the tracking, while they brought in Ryan Williams (The Black Dahlia Murder, John Frum) to produce some of the bass and vocals.

Datalysium is out now on standard LP, limited-edition LP, CD, and digital formats, available at: metalblade.com/thezenithpassage

Watch the band’s previously released video for “Divinertia II” HERE, “Lexicontagion” HERE, and “Datalysium” HERE.

“The songs move in the same creepy, gangly manner a daddy longlegs spider prances across the room when you’re trying to obliterate it with fuzzy slippers.” – Decibel Magazine

“…one of 2023’s greatest tech death metal opuses.” – Metal Injection

“THE ZENITH PASSAGE aren’t your average technical death metal band. Every moment, nuance and tone is meticulously balanced to create an enthralling experience that sets them apart from the pack. The initial visionaries of the genre may have paved the way but that torch has well and truly been ripped from their grasp.” – Distorted Sound

“The otherworldly electronic hellscape by way of tech-death portrayed here is interesting, and a worthy successor to the already nightmarish musical world of its elder album sibling. Datalysium was created with surgical precision and will leave many a fan of the tech-death spectacle very happy.” – No Clean Singing

“Datalyisium houses the strongest material of their career, and is effortlessly in the running for progressive death metal record of 2023.” – Wall Of Sound

“Their musicianship is top notch, and the songs are varied enough to ensnare long time listeners and new fans alike.” – Metal Temple

“…a near-perfect technical death metal record that THE ZENITH PASSAGE should absolutely be proud of. Their skill of playing with tempos and timing continue to astound and amaze, without losing the ferocity of being primarily a death metal band.” – Metal Wani

“A triumphant return.” – The Weekend Sport

“If there was a manual on how to make technical death metal interesting, The Zenith Passage should write a chapter.” – Ave Noctum

“Super tight instrumental work, catchy machine gun riffing, and plenty of spooky alien prog shit…” – Toilet Ov Hell

“…one of the better tech death albums of the last decade. They have always been a tight, polished band musically speaking. This is an algorithm you want to be a part of…” – Technical Music Review

“It’s so tight in some sections it could crack at any second and in just the first four songs you have been taken to a new state of how technical complexity can still move you on an emotional level as opposed to being wowed by how good they are with their respective instruments.” – Musipedia Of Metal

“…the band’s best work to date…” – Ghost Cult

“One of the tightest and best-performed albums I have heard in 2023.” – Teeth Of The Divine

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Datalysium, the second full-length studio album from Los Angeles progressive death metal outfit THE ZENITH PASSAGE, is out today on Metal Blade Records! In celebration of its release, a video for the monstrous title track has been unveiled.

Featuring an overhauled lineup that sees original guitarist/keyboardist/backing vocalist Justin McKinney joined by guitarist Christopher Beattie (Dreamer), vocalist Derek Rydquist (ex-The Faceless, John Frum), and bassist Brandon Giffin (ex-The Faceless, Cynic), Datalysium finds THE ZENITH PASSAGE further pushing disparate influences to the forefront of their sound. Relentless from start to finish, the record is a flawless marriage of technical head-fuckery, atmosphere, melody, and shifting dynamics, constantly demanding the listener’s undivided attention. From opener “The Axiom Of Error” with its stop-start attack to the agitated, richly textured and unstoppable “Synaptic Depravation,” or the dramatic, lush and epic closing title track, THE ZENITH PASSAGE is relentlessly creative and insistently push their sound in interesting, engrossing directions.

Decibel Magazine notes, “The songs move in the same creepy, gangly manner daddy longlegs spider prances across the room when you’re trying to obliterate it with fuzzy slippers.” Metal Wani lauds a, “near-perfect technical death metal record,” adding, “Their skill of playing with tempos and timing continue to astound and amaze, without losing the ferocity of being primarily a death metal band,” while Metal Injection wrote plainly upon hearing “Divinertia II,” “it rips!“

Watch the official video for Datalysium‘s title track at THIS LOCATION.

Datalysium was recorded between McKinney’s home studio and Rydquist’s apartment, with some vocals tracked at Flatline Audio with Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Wake), who also mixed the album. McKinney handled the tracking, while they brought in Ryan Williams (The Black Dahlia Murder, John Frum) to produce some of the bass and vocals.

Datalysium is out today on standard LP, limited-edition LP, CD, and digital formats, available at: metalblade.com/thezenithpassage. Also watch the previously released performance video for “Divinertia II” HERE and the video for “Lexicontagion” HERE.

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Los Angeles-based progressive death metal goliaths THE ZENITH PASSAGE today unleash their latest single, “Divinertia II.” The punishing new hymn comes by way of the band’s Datalysium full-length, set for release on July 21st through Metal Blade Records.

Featuring an overhauled lineup that sees original guitarist/keyboardist/backing vocalist Justin McKinney joined by guitarist Christopher Beattie (Dreamer), vocalist Derek Rydquist (ex-The Faceless, John Frum), and bassist Brandon Giffin (ex-The Faceless, Cynic), Datalysium finds THE ZENITH PASSAGE further pushing disparate influences to the forefront of their sound. Relentless from start to finish, the record is a flawless marriage of technical head-fuckery, atmosphere, melody, and shifting dynamics, constantly demanding the listener’s undivided attention. From opener “The Axiom Of Error” with its stop-start attack to the agitated, richly textured and unstoppable “Synaptic Depravation,” or the dramatic, lush and epic closing title track, THE ZENITH PASSAGE is relentlessly creative and insistently push their sound in interesting, engrossing directions.

Watch THE ZENITH PASSAGE’s “Divinertia II” performance video HERE

When asked to describe the record, the band do so vividly, “Imagine if Necrophagist and Meshuggah were married, and Cynic and Extol got married, then years later they went to a swingers party to spice up their relationships, which then became a regular thing. From this, they all had a kid together, no one knows who the biological father is, but that’s cool because they’re co-parenting. That kid then grows up, idolizing David Lynch, Ridley Scott and film noir. He then goes to film school for a couple of years, but drops out because he’d rather play synth music, but ends up broke and homeless. Then Datalysium would be that kid.“

Offers the band of “Divinertia II,” “Lyrically, this song is about the panic that ultimately causes what we can consider a Big Bang within the context of Datalysium. In Part I, we explore a universal totality that exists in a closed loop. At some point it gets wise to the idea of ‘more.’ In ‘Divinertia II,’ this idea manifests ‘more’ into existence, unexpectedly splitting into the known and unknown realities that we exist in today, all borne of confusion and fear.

“Musically, we explore and expand on a motif and counterpoint theme, which evolves into various tempos and momentum. A majority of this song is just one riff played at various speeds using a familiar rhythmic motif throughout. The evolving tempos are all derivatives of triplet, as a nod to the number of the universe, 333.“

Watch the band’s previously released video for first single, “Lexicontagion,” at THIS LOCATION.

Datalysium was recorded between McKinney’s home studio and Rydquist’s apartment, with some vocals tracked at Flatline Audio with Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Wake), who also mixed the album. McKinney handled the tracking, while they brought in Ryan Williams (The Black Dahlia Murder, John Frum) to produce some of the bass and vocals.

Datalysium will be released on standard LP, limited-edition LP, CD, and digital formats. For preorders, go to: metalblade.com/thezenithpassage

THE ZENITH PASSAGE will support Fallujah and Enterprise Earth on a short run of live dates this Summer. The Death Empyrean Tour runs from July 9th in Las Vegas, Nevada through July 20th in Mesa, Arizona.

On July 21st, the band will play a special record release show at Knucklehead in Hollywood, California. Entry is FREE with album purchase. Support will be provided by Civerous and Kron. See all confirmed dates below.

THE ZENITH PASSAGE w/ Fallujah, Enterprise Earth:
7/09/2023 Backstage Bar – Las Vegas, NV
7/10/2023 Full Circle Brewing CO – Fresno, CA
7/11/2023 Goldfield – Roseville, CA
7/12/2023 Bossanova – Portland, OR
7/13/2023 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
7/14/2023 Armstrong Metal Fest – Armstrong, BC
7/15/2023 The Big Dipper – Spokane, WA
7/17/2023 Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT
7/18/2023 HQ – Denver, CO
7/19/2023 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM
7/20/2023 Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ
End Tour:
7/21/2023 Knucklehead – Hollywood, CA * Record release show w/ Civerous, Kron

THE ZENITH PASSAGE:
Justin McKinney – guitars
Christopher Beattie – guitars
Brandon Giffin – bass
Derek Rydquist – vocals

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Los Angeles-based progressive death metal practitioners THE ZENITH PASSAGE will unleash their towering Datalysium full-length on July 21st through Metal Blade Records, today unveiling the record’s cover art, first single, and pre-orders.

While far too many progressive and technical death metal bands are happy to walk the same path and stick to a tried-and-true sound, on their second full-length THE ZENITH PASSAGE forges new and exhilarating territory. From start to finish, Datalysium is driven by imagination and played by artists who have full command of their instruments, creating something that stands out of any pack while maintaining what made them such a riveting proposition in the first place.

Featuring overhauled lineup that sees original guitarist/keyboardist/backing vocalist Justin McKinney joined by guitarist Christopher Beattie (Dreamer), vocalist Derek Rydquist (ex-The Faceless, John Frum) and bassist Brandon Giffin (ex-The Faceless, Cynic), Datalysium finds the band further pushing disparate influences to the forefront of their sound.

The band elaborates, “There’s always been things that were subtly done on previous releases, like jazz fusion passages, dissonant black metal, synth, and orchestral elements, as well as singing. What we haven’t done before is put those influences and ideas more upfront in the songwriting and production. Singing has become a pretty prominent part of some of these songs, as well as synth orchestration and really eerie, dissonant, pissed off black metal influence. We’re doing all of this while attempting to tell a harmonic and lyrical story that keeps the listener engaged and wondering what could happen next.”

The result is the perfect marriage of technical head-fuckery, atmosphere, melody, and shifting dynamics, constantly demanding the listener’s undivided attention. From opener “The Axiom Of Error” with its stop-start attack to the agitated, richly textured and unstoppable “Synaptic Depravation,” or the dramatic, lush and epic closing title track, THE ZENITH PASSAGE is relentlessly creative and insistently push their sound in interesting, engrossing directions.

In advance of the release of Datalysium, today the band unleashes first single, “Lexicontagion,” noting of the track, “‘Lexicontagion’ is a representation of the entire musical spectrum from the band. It is a song that takes you on a crazy adventure, with fast speeds and unexpected turns, while maintaining a familiar motif throughout the piece. We wanted to highlight the dynamics of the band on a compositional level and production level. So there’s a lot of depth to it, where the listener can discover a new element to the music upon each listen. Which is the case for the entire record, it’s a wild ride.“

Datalysium was recorded between McKinney’s home studio and Rydquist’s apartment, with some vocals tracked at Flatline Audio with Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Wake), who also mixed the album. McKinney handled the tracking, while they brought in Ryan Williams (The Black Dahlia Murder, John Frum) to produce some of the bass and vocals. Having been friends with Williams for years, it felt natural to have him be a part of the recording process, while Otero also contributed profoundly. A longtime friend of McKinney, this is the first time they have actually collaborated on a record. “Dave is the kind of dude that just gets it, when going for the sound or idea we have in mind, even bringing an idea to light that we never even thought to do and collaborating and expanding on these ideas further. We were expecting some really epic stuff from Dave, but the end result of that has proved to be way more than those expectations.“

Datalysium Track Listing:
1. The Axiom Of Error
2. Algorithmic Salvation
3. Lexicontagion
4. Synaptic Depravation
5. Deletion Cult
6. Divinertia I
7. Divinertia II
8. Automated Twilight
9. Datalysium

Datalysium will be released on standard LP, limited-edition LP, CD, and digital formats. For pre-orders, go to: metalblade.com/thezenithpassage

THE ZENITH PASSAGE will join labelmates Allegaeon for a short run of live dates beginning tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada with additional shows to be announced in the weeks to come.

THE ZENITH PASSAGE:
5/15/2023 Backstage Bar – Las Vegas, NV w/ Allegaeon
5/16/2023 Full Circle Brewery – Fresno, CA w/ Allegaeon
5/17/2023 Old Ironsides – Sacramento, CA w/ Allegaeon
5/18/2023 Bossanova Ballroom – Portland, OR w/ Allegaeon
5/19/2023 Modified Ghost Festival – Vancouver, BC w/ Allegaeon
5/20/2023 The Big Dipper – Spokane, WA
5/22/2023 Ribald Brewing – Nevada City, CA
5/23/2023 Neck Of The Woods – San Francisco, CA

THE ZENITH PASSAGE:
Justin McKinney – guitars
Chistopher Beattie – guitars
Brandon Giffin – bass
Derek Rydquist – vocals

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