EPK – Conflux Collective – In the Wake of Saturn (2026)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“In the Wake of Saturn is a journey through pain, fear, defeat, survival, and finally rebirth. It’s a transformative experience that was created out of the necessity for change. It’s a complex album that took a tremendous amount of effort to bring to light. Jeanne Comateuse did a fantastic job at bringing it to life with a brilliant mix. Many obstacles impeded the production, and it’s only out of sheer will and the refusal to quit that it is now complete and available for the audience. This is a DIY album. It’s not perfect, but it’s unique. A true underground monster, made for those who appreciate and seek the unusual. It features a great mix of vocals. Brutal, but very clear and purposeful. It has a bit of everything, some grooving parts, brutal parts, and melodic parts. It’s a journey, and the last song is the perfect closer.” – Tommy McKinnon – Conflux Collective
For fans of Cryptopsy, Necrophagist, Decrepit Birth, Augury, Beyond Creation
Band: Conflux Collective
Album or Single Title: In the Wake of Saturn
Release Date: June 19, 2026
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby
Genre: Death Metal
Location of Band: Canada
Facebook.com/confluxcollective | Youtube.com/@conflux2651 | Instagram.com/confluxco
Confluxcollective.bandcamp.com
“this maddening musical force comprised of many of today’s best death metal musicians. – Austin Weber, No Clean Singing (EP The Inception, 2016)
“The Conflux Collective deliver their first song unto us, a brain scrambling ditty called “Lucid Hallucinations”. This new multi-national death metal group is definitely a band you’ll want to keep an eye on!” – Metal Injection (EP The Inception, 2016)
“Each song features a rotating cast of different vocalists and bassist on each song, with the only members on all three being guitarist/composer Chase Frasier (Continuum, ex-Decrepit Birth, ex-Son Of Aurelius, ex- Animosity, etc) and highly skilled drummer Tommy McKinnon (Akurion/Neuraxis as the only constants in this maddening musical force comprised of many of today’s best death metal musicians. The three vocalists on The Inception are: Mike Disalvo (Akurion/Coma Cluster Void/ex-Cryptopsy) on track one, Matt McGachy (Cryptopsy) on track two, and Beneath The Massacre vocalist Elliot Desgagnes on track three. All three songs on The Inception sound and unfold differently than each other, which bodes well for the groups future moving forwards! Jam below for some high-octane shred heavy tech-death that’ll bore a hole through your head. But do so in a finessed way of course!” – Metal Injection (EP The Inception, 2016)
“At just about 10-minutes in length, The Inception feels more like a teaser than anything else. But that’s just a consequence of how strong it sounds. If they continue to enlist the best of the best as they move forward with more material, Conflux could really be something special. A must-hear if you prefer your death metal on the tech-ier side of things (or you dig any of the members involved).” – Dead Rhetoric (EP The Inception, 2016)
“Helmed by guitarist/songwriter Chase Fraser (Continuum, ex Animosity, Decrepit Birth) and drummer Tommy Mckinnon (Akurion/Neuraxis), Conflux Collective is a new collaborative death metal project bent on both pushing the bounds of creativity within the genre and the culminating of ideas with other artists in the community.” – New Noise Magazine (EP The Inception, 2016)
Band: Conflux Collective
Album or Single Title: In the Wake of Saturn
Release Date: June 19, 2026
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby
Genre: Death Metal
Location of Band: Canada
Track Listing:
1. The Antidote – 3:02
2. Devoid of True Form – 2:39
3. Ethereal Executioner – 4:45
4. Devouring Light – 4:59
5. Blood from a Rock 4:18
6. Reincarnation – 3:20
7. In the Wake of Saturn – 2:29
8. Desperate Post-Humanist – 5:18
Album Length: 30:53
Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Conflux Collective
• All songs written by: Conflux Collective
• Produced by: Tommy McKinnon
• Mixed by: Jeanne Comateuse at Magma Art & Sound
• Mastered by: Jeanne Comateuse at Magma Art & Sound
• Album Artwork by: Filip Ivanovic
• Member of SOCAN
Album Band Line Up:
Guitar: Chase Fraser (Continuum)
Vocals; Eric Burnet (Derelict), Max Lussier (Derelict), Jesse Brint (Gross Misconduct), Mallika Sundaramurthy (Emasculator), Jeff Mott (Hollow, Monster Factory)
Additional guitar, bass and drums: Tommy McKinnon
Track 1,2, 3, 6. Music: Chase Fraser. Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
Track 4. Music: Chase Fraser. Lyrics: Jesse Brint
Track 5, 7. Music & Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
Track 8. Music: Tommy McKinnon. Lyrics: Eric Burnet
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About The Album Artwork:
Filip Ivanovic created something truly powerful. I wanted something that evokes rebirth, awakening and power. The image shows a giant creature emerging from the depths, as if from a deep sleep. One can see fragments of shattered stone falling from the walls of a cavern. It’s a vision of nightmares, but also one that inspires awe and humility.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
Through the 8 songs, one will be revolted, repulsed, empowered and inspired. It tells a story of loss, but also renewal. Songs are not structured in the traditional “pop rock” verse/chorus fashion, yet there are certainly strong parts that sound like choruses. Expect climaxes, heavy grooves, blast beats, solos… All with the vocals leading the way between the different sections. Jesse said it best: “… it’s a journey”.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. The Antidote 03:02 – Music: Chase Fraser. Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
The opening track is all-out brutal/melodic nastiness. It talks about being complacent in the face of ignorance and prejudice, and is a reminder that self-discipline is the way to counter the pressure of a civilization where valour is ridiculed, and sloth is celebrated.
2. Devoid of True Form 02:39 – Music: Chase Fraser. Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
Based on the Buddhist concept of Emptyness, or my understanding of it. My first real attempt at making this into a full-on death metal song. Like the first song, it’s balls out, but a bit more straightforward.
3. Ethereal Executioner 04:45 – Music: Chase Fraser. Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
Some of the craziest and most daring drum parts I’ve ever recorded. This truly progressive song talks about the severe consequences of addiction, and the bottom of the pit from which one may perish, or rise to reinvent oneself.
4. Devouring Light 04:59 – Music: Chase Fraser. Lyrics: Jesse Brint
This doom-leaning, torturous piece is a groove-filled and crafty maelstrom of heavy riffs and open chords. The bass line is rich with attitude. The words talk about witnessing an ecological disaster of epic magnitude.
5. Blood from a Rock 04:18 – Music & Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
A two-fold song that starts with a brutal assault and resolves in a labyrinth of heavy old school breakdowns. The lyrics are about arrogance and greed.
6. Reincarnation 03:20 – Music: Chase Fraser. Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
Another one of Chase’s brilliant, brutal, progressive death metal offerings. It speaks of overcoming desire.
7. In the Wake of Saturn 02:29 – Music & Lyrics: Tommy McKinnon
The eponymous song of the album. The fastest song on the whole album. Meant to be a straightforward assault with memorable melodies. In the Wake of Saturn, literally, this album was forged…
8. Desperate Post-Humanist 05:18 – Music: Tommy McKinnon. Lyrics: Eric Burnet
The closer of the album. An unexpected and risky fresco, highlighting the dialogue between a man and a machine. It is the most layered song on the whole album. It has upward of 55 audio tracks.
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BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:
1. Max:
I really appreciated the challenge and was honoured to get the call. The guitar solo on Blood From a Rock is completely insane and took me out of my comfort zone. As for the vocals, I was pleasantly surprised that the cleans made it to the final cut. I think it showcases the project’s diversity and open-mindedness.
2. Jeff:
The only thing I could add is a huge thank you, @Tommy, for thinking of me on this! I love challenging myself, and you put me in the best position to do so. And to work with you again is a genuine pleasure, buddy!
3. Tommy:
When I finally came to the realisation that this band would never see the light of day unless I finished it up, my first step was to record the bass. This is the first album I ever recorded on bass guitar, kind of a rough first step for a guy who can barely find his way through a blues. I had some tabs, but I realised real quick that the tabs were outdated, and what was written down wasn’t the music that was recorded in the guitar tracks. So I had to figure out every note: I did so by looping each note and finding them on the bass, then figuring out which phrase was tonal and could be summed up as chords, and which ones needed note-for-note support. In the end, I’m happy with the bass on the album. It was great that I didn’t have tabs; it forced me to use my ears and think “out of the box”.
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L-R – Max Lussier, Jesse Brint, Mallika Sundaramurthy, Tommy McKinnon, Eric Burnet, Jeffrey Mac Dermott
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDITS: Joe Diaz, Derek Carr of Visionsinpixels, Mat Barbeau, Tania Hébert
Born from a chance reunion in a Montreal fast‑food joint after a King Diamond show, Conflux Collective emerged as a spontaneous spark between guitarist Chase Fraser (Continuum, ex‑Decrepit Birth, ex‑Animosity) and drummer Tommy McKinnon (Derelict, Akurion, ex‑Neuraxis, ex‑Augury). What began as two musicians rediscovering each other after years apart quickly transformed into a creative eruption. Within their first hour of jamming, a full song had taken shape; within six weeks, they had written and recorded their debut EP, The Inception (2016).
From the beginning, Conflux was never meant to be a traditional band. It was conceived as a true collective, a space where multiple voices, styles, and creative minds could collide. The project’s identity was built on the idea of bringing together diverse extreme vocalists and pushing progressive technical death metal into new emotional and sonic territory.
After an extended dormancy brought on by life’s unpredictability, McKinnon resurrected the project with renewed purpose. Armed with five unreleased tracks from Fraser, one from a former collaborator, and a determination to finally bring the album to life, he rebuilt Conflux Collective from the ground up. McKinnon composed additional material, rewrote entire songs, recorded all bass tracks by ear, and crafted lyrics drawn from deeply personal experiences, dark, cathartic, and unflinchingly honest.
To complete the vision, he assembled a powerhouse roster of vocalists whose performances became the beating heart of the record: Jesse Brint (Gross Misconduct), Mallika Sundaramurthy (Emasculator, ex‑Abnormality), Jeffrey Mac Dermott (The Monster Factory, Growlers Choir), Eric Burnet (Derelict, Samskaras), and Max (Derelict), who also contributed a blistering guitar solo.
Each vocalist brought their own identity, technique, and emotional weight, transforming the album into a multi‑dimensional journey.
The result is the band’s long‑awaited full‑length album, “In the Wake of Saturn” (2026), a progressive, brutal, melodic, and uncompromising exploration of loss, transformation, and inner strength. Musically, it bridges the raw ferocity of ’90s death metal with the precision and ambition of modern tech‑death. Lyrically, it channels personal upheaval, existential reflection, and the power of self‑reinvention.
Across eight tracks, listeners are pulled through blast‑driven chaos, atmospheric tension, crushing grooves, and climactic melodic peaks. The songs defy traditional structures, instead unfolding like chapters in a narrative—guided by the shifting voices of the collective. As vocalist Jesse Brint put it, “It’s a journey.”
Though Conflux Collective has no plans for live performances, the project stands as a testament to collaboration without boundaries. It is the convergence of past and present, chaos and craft, instinct and intention.
Conflux Collective is not just a band; it is a meeting point for extreme music’s most creative forces, united in the pursuit of something powerful, transformative, and unforgettable.
Discography:
2026 – LP – In the Wake of Saturn
2016 – EP – The Inception
Artist Endorsements:
Chase Fraser plays ESP guitars
Tommy McKinnon plays TAMA drums
Mallika Sundaramurthy uses Cosmic Ears in-ear monitors
