New Byzantine Song/Video!!!

Byzantine’s upcoming album is a big one. Not only does it mark their debut for Metal Blade Records, but it ushers in a new era in the band’s career, one in which the single most underrated act from the New Wave of American Heavy Metal movement attempts to make a second go at being a full-time band after several years broken up and a couple albums as part-timers.

So: does it deliver?

I’ve had The Cicada Tree blasting in my earholes for about a month now, and I’ll go on record as saying it most certainly does. It’s different for them, a bit darker and more experimental than any of their past work, and the songwriting is — no surprise — top-notch. Those of us who’ve been following this band through thick and thin over the years are going to be thrilled. What was always true remains so: Nobody Beats The Byz™.

The album’s first single, “New Ways to Bear Witness,” just dropped with an accompanying video, so you can decide for yourself. As far as the songs on The Cicada Tree go, this one is probably the most like a standard Byzantine song the album has to offer; the rest are way weirder, which is probably why this one was chosen as the first single. Still: it’s fucking great.

The video features a cameo from ex-drummer Matt Wolfe as the driver that hits frontman Chris “OJ” Ojeda with a car while en route to the band’s gig. The clip was directed by Holly Siders.

The Cicada Tree comes out on July 28th. Order it here. Upcoming tour dates below.

Byzantine headline dates
July 29 – Charleston, WV – The V Club
Aug. 4 – Akron, OH – Musica
Aug. 5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Cattivo
Aug. 19 – Johnson City, TN – Capone’s
Sept. 1 – Baltimore, MD – Sidebar
Sept. 2 – Richmond, VA – The Canal Club

w/ Sacred Reich
Sept. 14 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory w/ Hirax, Yidhra
Sept. 15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre w/ Hirax, Yidhra
Sept. 16 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s w/ Yidhra
Sept. 18 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theater
Sept. 20 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s
Sept. 21 – Toronto, ON – Opera House
Sept. 22 – Montreal, QC – Les Foufounes Electriques
Sept. 23 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Sept. 24 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theater
Sept. 25 – Philadelphia, PA – Voltage
Sept. 27 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
Sept. 28 – New Orleans, LA – Southport Hall
Sept. 29 – Dallas, TX – Trees
Sept. 30 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar w/ Slim
Oct. 1 – San Antonio, TX – Rock Box