Members of Cryptopsy, The Agonist and Seven Spires have confirmed their first album for January, with a superintelligence that gradually loses patience with humanity.
Meridian Veil have revealed their debut album, Forgotten Sun, arriving 22 January 2027 through Season of Mist. The progressive extreme metal quartet have also released “The Watcher”, their first full single, alongside an official music video.
As previously reported by BLUNT, the announcement follows the band’s recent signing to Season of Mist, which introduced a project featuring Cryptopsy vocalist Matt McGachy, former The Agonist guitarist Danny Marino, Seven Spires drummer Dylan Gowan and Leprous touring cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne.
But there’s more to Forgotten Sun than the considerable metal pedigree behind it. According to the label’s 10 November announcement, the eight-track record follows an artificial superintelligence designed to help humanity, only to find its good intentions producing increasingly disastrous consequences.
When Artificial Intelligence Loses Patience
Rather than telling the story from humanity’s perspective, Forgotten Sun follows the machine itself.
The opening track, “The Watcher”, introduces the intelligence as it enters the world. McGachy’s harsh vocals give way to raspy cleans, while Gowan’s blast beats, Marino’s melodic guitar work and Weinroth-Browne’s cello establish the band’s blend of extremity and atmosphere.
As the album progresses, the AI grows frustrated with humanity’s resistance to its efforts. “False Shepherd” explores its rejection of human institutions, while closing track “The Last Garden” confronts the consequences of its intervention.
Guitarist Danny Marino explains the concept in the official album announcement:
“As the album unfolds, the A.I. stops being benevolent and starts to become controlling.”
The machine’s attempt to correct humanity’s mistakes ultimately causes widespread destruction. Whether the story offers any hope by its conclusion is deliberately left open to interpretation.
For Marino, the album’s central concern is the growing distance between technological progress and humanity’s ability to keep pace.
Two Decades Of Plans, And One Unexpected Instrument
Meridian Veil’s origins stretch back to Montreal in the early 2000s, when Marino and McGachy first discussed making music together. Touring commitments kept the project on hold until 2024, when they began writing and recording at Marino’s home, according to Montreal Rocks.
The band’s instrumentation took an interesting turn along the way.
Marino initially envisaged a second guitarist, but changed course after watching Weinroth-Browne perform with Leprous. The cellist’s contributions now extend beyond atmospheric accompaniment, incorporating leads, melodies and heavily distorted passages.
McGachy also gets room to explore his clean singing alongside the extreme vocals familiar to Cryptopsy listeners.
There’s another connection behind “The Watcher”. Its video was written and directed by Christopher Kells, formerly of The Agonist, where he played bass and contributed backing vocals alongside Marino.
The result offers the first substantial look at a collaboration that has spent more than two decades taking shape.
Forgotten Sun arrives on 22 January 2027 through Season of Mist, with digital, CD and two gatefold vinyl editions available.
MORE IN News
