Meridian Veil is a project two decades in the making featuring guitarist Danny Marino, vocalist Matt McGachy, drummer Dylan Gowan and cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne. All known for their work in heavy music, they hail from the bands The Agonist, Cryptopsy, Seven Spires and Leprous. Now, they have announced their new Progressive Metal band’s debut album, Forgotten Sun, which serves as “a timely reminder of everything that makes us human.”
Guitarist Danny Marino shares:
From the beginning, more than 20 years ago, I wanted Meridian Veil to be deeply emotional. Even though Forgotten Sun gets heavy, there’s a deep longing that runs through the cautionary tale at the album’s core.
The idea for Meridian Veil started when Marino met McGachy during the early 2000s while the two were growing up in Montreal. Touring with Billboard-charting The Agonist and JUNO Award-winners Cryptopsy delayed their plans until 2024, when they met at Marino’s home for what became the initial writing and recording session of Forgotten Sun.
McGachy says:
I remember going home and feeling super excited. Forgotten Sun is an interesting, exciting and very melodic album. Singing on it was freeing for me. I’m happy to show that side of myself.
Gowan says:
When you have a band that involves writers from different styles, you get something really unique. Forgotten Sun is progressive metal with a very dark atmosphere and thought-provoking lyrics. I’m very proud of what we accomplished and hope people enjoy the album as much as we did making it.
Unlike conventional dystopian epics, Forgotten Sun is told from the perspective of an Artificial Superintelligence that’s programmed for good. Lead single “The Watcher” welcomes the A.I. into the world. But despite its sincere intentions, the A.I. grows frustrated as human nature thwarts its efforts toward progress.
Marino explains:
As the album unfolds, the A.I. stops being benevolent and starts to become controlling. It steps in to fix our mistakes, only to end up with disastrous results. Forgotten Sun is a cautionary tale. While flawed, it’s our messy human nature that allows us to thrive.
