CTOPLOID Premieres “The Dawns In Nothingness [Feat. Mikko Kotamäki]” Video/Single

Photo by Päivi Leino

Story: Ralph Greco, Jr.

From death metal to prog to folk, with its wide range of influences, OCTOPLOID’s forthcoming debut album Beyond The Aeons, due out on July 5th via Reigning Phoenix Music, takes its listeners to a world of its own.

In anticipation of the record’s official release, the band led by bassist Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine (Amorphis, Barren Earth, Mannhai) presents the second single off the record today with “The Dawns In Nothingness.”

Continuing the list of prestigious guests, Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow The Sun) lends his distinctive vocals to “The Dawns In Nothingness,” which opens the gate to Beyond The Aeons in the form of the fateful peal of bells, cawing craws, and acoustic guitar tunes. The eventful song raises the bar with its driving yet dark character, interspersed with a handful of wonderfully psychedelic guitar/keyboard solo parts on what may be one of the most unexpected death-prog albums of the year.

Laine explains, “This track is an unlikely marriage between black and death metal, rock, and medieval monk chants, rounded out by Swallow The Sun vocalist Mikko Kotamäki. Even though the texts are very personal, the gloomy lyricism is not always to be taken literally. That’s just a part of the classic doom metal ethos in its finest!”

Watch OCTOPLOID’s previously released video for “Human Amoral [feat. Tomi Joutsen]” HERE. Stream/purchase the track HERE.

Beyond The Aeons was crafted at E-Studio in Sipoo, Finland where Petri Majuri (Hanoi Rocks, Michael Monroe) took care of mixing the eight tracks and David Castillo (Katatonia, Leprous, Opeth) mastered the album. Orion Landau (Carcass, YOB, Russian Circles ) completed the magnificent package with dreamy artwork.

Preorder Beyond The Aeons in the physical format of your choice (digipak CD, eco-friendly/recycled “Dusk Of Vex” Marbled vinyl), presave it on your favorite DSP, or preorder it digitally to receive “The Dawns In Nothingness [Feat. Mikko Kotamäki]” and “Human Amoral [feat. Tomi Joutsen]” instantly now at octoploid.rpm.link/beyondtheaeonsPR.

OCTOPLOID is the solo band of Olli-Pekka Laine (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), formed in 2022. Combining elements from ‘90s death/black metal, ‘70s prog rock, and ‘90s psychedelic rock, their music has its own place on the map. In one phrase, OCTOPLOID’s sound has been described as “classic death prog.”

Built around Laine, the core band includes four additional musicians: Well-seasoned and diverse drummer Mikko Pietinen brings experience from stoner rock (MannhaI) and Finnish mainstream pop rock (Kasmir), while lead/rhythm guitarist Peter Salonen (The Kinky Thing; a band performing Finnish psych rock legends Kingston Wall covers) is a new face in the scene. The five-piece is completed by keyboardist Kim Rantala (Giant Robot, ex-Amorphis) and vocalist Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow The Sun; live).

Subscribe to Reigning Phoenix Music on YouTube HERE and listen to “The Dawns In Nothingness [feat. Mikko Kotamäki]” as well as other new tracks in the RPM New Releases playlist on Spotify HERE.

OCTOPLOID:

Mikko Kotamäki – vocals (live)

Peter Salonen – guitars

Kim Rantala – keyboards

Olli-Pekka Laine – bass, keyboards, backing vocals

Mikko Pietinen – drums, percussion

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