MEMFIS HAVE A NEW RECORD OUT! AND IT’S STREAMING NOW!!

Back in early 2007 when MetalSucks was first getting going I frequented the Aversionline blog daily and listened to everything they posted religiously. I still check out Aversionline, although I find that my tastes have veered off in a different direction from much of what Andrew posts these days. One of the bands I discovered back then from Aversionline was Memfis, a Swedish prog-metal band who, in hindsight, remind me a whole lot of Burst. They’ve got an Opethian flare for composition and arrangement blended seamlessly with big, burly American-sized Mastodonian riffs. Their 2006 debut The Wind-Up was a staple in my rotation for all of 2007.

I’ve often since wondered what became of Memfis, and now I know; they recorded a follow-up in 2008 but were forced to hold onto it due to a legal battle with their former label. Until now. That album, Vertigo, is being streamed in its entirety via the band’s website, where you can also download the record for any price of your choosing. This is great, great, great, great stuff and I highly recommend you give it a shot. Hearing Vertigo is reminding me why I loved The Wind-Up so much, and it’s inspiring me to go back and give that album another spin for old time’s sake.

Here’s a statement MetalSucks received from the band via email regarding the label lawsuit and the eventual release of Vertigo:

In 2008, we recorded a follow up to The Wind-Up (2006, Dental Records). Now, three years later, we’re releasing it.

Vertigo was recorded and mixed in Bohus Sound Studios during two intense weeks in may 2008, with producer and engineer Fredrik Reinedahl (Burst, Solstafir, Crowpath, Abandon etc.), mastered by Dragan Tanaskovic (E.S.T, In Flames, Mando Diao and many more). We financed this production ourselves.

Later in 2008, our former record label sued us. Eventually, after over two years of juridical circus, they pulled out the day before our supposed court date. A ridiculous amount of time and money were wasted on this.

After this mess we decided to release the album on our own via the digital channels (iTunes, Amazon MP3, Spotify etc). On our website (www.memfisband.com) you can pay what you want for it. Hopefully, Vertigo will be released on extra heavy double vinyl someday. Until then, it will only be available as a digital download.

We hope you’ll enjoy it.

-VN