Louisville-based progressive metal band Dystorchestra have hit the ground running with the release of their debut album Deus Ex Machina, Pt. 1. It is an intense and ambitious new concept album designed to take the listener on an eye-opening journey. A statement from the band describes it as "a story-driven album that features topical themes of civil unrest, [and] a look at how impossible choices can change the course of history."
Dystorchestra is made of several members of varying extensions of the Louisville music scene. Guitarist and keyboardist Shawn Dugdale said, “This has been a collaborative effort for all of us and we are so excited to release this album! We took our time and did not compromise our vision. I believe this shows in the final product.” The remaining members include lead guitarists Shawn Matty and David Kisselbaugh, vocalist Steve Yocum, bass guitarist Joe Easley, and Tim Owens on drums.
Their debut album Deus Ex Machina, Pt. 1, "tells the story of Thomas, an infantry soldier who is conscripted to fight on the front lines of an endless domestic war that has torn the United States apart. He is forced to choose, first, between family and country, and second, between the family he is born into and the family he has made with the fate of the world resting on his decisions."
One listen to the opening song "Kalachakra" (following the "Preface"), and you are buckled into what is sure to be an intense journey. Listen to the track and the rest of Deus Ex Machina, Pt. 1, and check out the lyric video for the single "Burn It Down" below.
