EPK – Maitreya – Auxesis (2024) – Out Oct 11th
Publicist – Jon Asher – Jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
For fans of Between The Buried and Me, The Contortionist, Twelve Foot Ninja, Leprous, Thank You Scientist
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“Just relaxing and enjoying a catchy riff is not an option with Maitreya anyway. If you like complex song structures and styles that are woven together without compromise, Maitreya is the right place for you.” – Musika
“We’re always on the hunt for interesting new metal bands, and Canada’s Maitreya certainly qualifies. The band’s newest single, “Catalyst”, treads familiar progressive metal territory – think vocals similar to Leprous and instrumentation akin to older BTBAM – but rest assured it sounds fresh.” – New Fury Media
“Heavy metallers Maitreya recognize the value of dreams with their new single and music video for “Bloom,” a rifftastic blast of progressive metal.” – V13
“What’s on the menu here is a wide range of flavours. There’s something to suit the taste of any serious metal fan. This relatively new band has some good ideas and knows how to execute them. Despite the current restrictions, these guys have plenty of time to bring the Maitreya brand to the fore.” – The Prog Space
“What we have here with Hyper Reels is a fresh take on both progressive metal and metalcore in general. Ten high-powered and heavy efforts that go in a myriad of unexpected and thrilling directions. If there’s one thing Maitreya do well on Hyper Reels, it is to keep you guessing all the time.” Games, Brrraaains & A Headbanging Life
“Ambitious and aggressive, Canada’s Maitreya break boundaries from the beginning with Departed. Heavy, contemporary metal chords are underscored by droning, chorusing vocals, but blink and you’ll miss them as Maitreya soon change direction to a growling verse pandemonium. Their riffing is adventurous and deadly, cutting through weighty, rolling rhythms and movements.” – Jace Media
[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]
EP Title: Auxesis
Release Date: October 11th, 2024
Label: Self-Release
Track Listing:
1. Paradigm (6:47)
2. Still Motion (4:49)
3. The Traveler (5:32)
4. Vestigial Memories (5:21)
5. Arcana (6:05)
Album Length: 28:33
EP Credits:
• All songs performed by: Maitreya
• All songs written by: Maitreya
• Produced by: Maitreya / Zack Johnson
• Mixed by: Zack Johnson
• Mastered by: Luc Chiasson
• Album Artwork by: Lucas Escobar / Lyam Morrison
• Member of SOCAN
• MAPL – Canadian Content
EP/Live Band Line Up:
Mark Wylie – Guitar
Lyam Morrison – Bass
Matt Cutrara – Vocals
Brandon Pellatt – Drums
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About The EP Artwork
Lyam : With the themes of growth in the music, I wanted to reflect that in the artwork. Using geometric concepts to represent that was in the forefront for my collaborator Lucas Escobar and
I, alongside the concept we’ve cultivated in the band, that Maitreya is a character our art embodies and not simply a name.
Central in the artwork is Maitreya, seated atop an ascending harmonic series, emanating outwards into higher planes of being. Surrounding them are symbols representing values that can either propel them higher or drag them into stagnation. To the lower right are symbols of the three poisons, delusion, attachment and aversion. Opposing them in the upper left are symbols to evoke their counters, wisdom, generosity and love. At the pinnacle of the artwork sits the diagram of the tree of life, which represents in this case the growing connection between all things that is unseen. Entering the frame from outside is Saturn, this is a representation of the point we’re at in our lives and also in this project. A time of change and realization, with Saturn’s return. The geometry framing all of this is the circle in square diagram, which represents varying levels of being, as Saturn returns it allows the middle level to shift which in turns allows for a jump to a greater existence. The colours were also very intentional. Traditionally, dioxazine purple has represented the fabric that’s beneath and throughout the universe. Gold is universally known for being precious, and in our case the gold represents how by simply being all things are precious.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
Mark:
Auxesis is the Greek word for growth. We felt this was an accurate depiction of the state and development of the band during this album cycle. It became like a motto, ‘in the spirit of Auxesis’ – to operate in a fashion that allows us to grow to our full potential as individuals and as musicians.
The album is rich with a depth of sonic layers such that the listener can yield new discoveries after multiple listens. The complexity of the music is subtle, making it accessible to general audiences but also intriguing to the advanced, musically-inclined demographics. There’s a strong poetic focus to create an artistic work ripe with emotional and philosophical commentaries on the human condition.
Matt:
Auxesis treads interesting ground lyrically with themes of change, growth, introspection, creation, dreams and memories. Musically we tread new ground with some reggae inspired sections, spoken word/characters sections, acapella, and choral sections.
Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
Mark: Paradigm musically is based around two core ideas; a patterned harmonic sequence and rhythmic modulations over 6/8 time.It started with a Maj7#11 chord voicing I got from Allan Holdsworth. The goal was to have this Lydian modal sound modulate to various keys using the interval sequence of a Major 3rd down, followed by a minor 3rd down before repeating. When mapped out to a Circle of 5ths diagram, these sequences generate interesting geometric patterns.There’s a 6/8 arpeggio idea that is present throughout each section. Rhythmically I wanted to attempt different polyrhythm and polymeter ideas against this 6/8 ostinato. As each new section modulates harmonically, it also modulates in time signature.Matt:
Lyrically Paradigm is about understanding the relationship between your feelings and your identity. Some people choose to let their emotions consume them, when they are only a part of your identity.
Lyam: When Mark showed me the composition for Paradigm I was blown away. It stayed in our backlog folder for a while and I’d listen to it periodically, it struck me as much more of a journey than most of the music so far had been. We talked a few times about including spoken word passages in a song and it was the perfect candidate for that. I’m a person who is often overwhelmed by feeling. Over my life I’ve learned more and more that emotions are an experience and not something that makes you you. That became the lyrical concept I pushed for, and relating that to a “Paradigm” shift once a person gains enough experience to learn that perspective.
Still Motion
Mark: Many of my compositions are inspired by practice and studies of Yogic traditions. This song in particular is based on the experience of expansion felt in meditation. The attempt musically was to capture the type of motion felt in an astral out-of-body-experience, while still remaining conscious of the physical body. Most notable of this effect compositionally is the rhythmic interplay used in the chorus section. The rhythm has a way of syncopating on and off the beat, creating a type of non-resolving momentum.
Matt:
Lyrically Still Motion is about gaining the benefit of stillness in clarity and awareness. Being able to forgive yourself for straying from your path, and learning as much as you can along the way.
The Traveler
Mark:
The seed idea for this song can be traced to a goofy way we would cover Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine. I would set up a wah effect on a clean channel for that “70’s porn-funk” kind of sound and do a reggae-funk thing against the hip-hop inspired verse rap section. I basically thought it would be funny to have a song that drifted in between this jazz-funk-reggae hybrid with metal. This is something I found 12 Foot Ninja executed well on, pretty sure I also ripped off the intro chord progression from one of their songs to get the ball rolling on this tune.
Matt:
Lyrically The Traveler is rooted in hurt and displacement. Dealing with feelings of betrayal and a breakdown of communication.
Vestigial Memories
Mark:
This song instrumentally is the oldest tune on the EP, dating back to an original demo titled Glacier in 2018. During the period of time in my life when I wrote this song, I was undergoing radiation treatment post oral cancer surgery. Reflecting on the vibe of the music now, it sounds hopeful and optimistic about future health but also highlights the emotional darkness and physical suffering of the experience.
Matt:
Lyrically, Vestigial memories is about trying to find peace inside the sea of memories that exist within you at all times. Exercising discernment on which memories to prune and which memories to hold dear is not an easy task.
Arcana
Mark:
This song is inspired by the band, Arcane Roots (hence the title… Lyam and Matt ended up making this super obvious because the words arcane roots appear in the lyrics). I resonated with the way they incorporated synths and vocal harmonies into their sound. I found while emulating their work that there’s a kind of simplicity that can yield a very powerful sonic result – which I think comes across in the chorus sections of this song.
Matt:
Lyrically, I think about Arcana almost as a sort of fairy tale. It talks of magic and belief, truth and the interconnectedness of it all. It has some morals in that it criticizes cowardice and praises surrender. It’s sometimes hard to write optimistic lyrics for me, but this song turned out cautionary, but optimistic overall.
Lyam: The lyrical concept for this one came from a conversation Mark and I had about faith and our differing experiences with it. Giving the trust to have faith in a spiritual concept is always hard for me because of my experiences with Christianity. I wrote the lines for the chorus on a hike. I see God or something like that in nature whenever I get out there. That experience made me want to make the song about choosing to give that trust for faith, instead of about fear.
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STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND
#1: EP Name
Mark: We were having some difficulty naming the album initially, and were against using a song title for the EP title. There was one phrase lyrically that resonated with me in The Traveler – “Our Future is Hyperbole”. I originally thought that might be a cool title, but I put that phrase in Google, and the word Auxesis came up – as a rhetorically synonym for hyperbole or exaggeration. After combing through the various definitions, we felt we could justify all of them to represent the album.
Auxesis (Greek: αὔξησις, aúxēsis) is the Greek word for “growth” or “increase”. In rhetoric, it refers to varying forms of increase:
hyperbole (overstatement): intentionally overstating a point, its importance, or its significance[1][2][3]
climax (ascending series): a series of clauses of increasing force[4]
amplification (rhetorical increase): extension or exaggerated, needless repetition of arguments to emphasize the point
#2: Line up change
At the end of 2022, the band parted ways with original drummer, Steve McMillan and second guitarist, Matt McCabe. There was a pull between the professional commitments of the band and the demands of fatherhood and family obligations.
The band recruited drummer, Brandon Pellatt, in 2023. Mark and Lyam worked with Brandon during summer employment at Canadian Musicians Co-operative from 2019-2021. When it became time to consider a new drummer, it was an easy transition with the prior history performing music together and sharing similar tastes in music.
#3 Drummer envy
Before Brandon joined the band, there was nothing more Brandon wanted to do than to be in the band. Brandon, Mark, and Lyam all worked together and performed in different situations prior to him joining. The majority of that music consisted of pop/rock songs other people wanted to play and maybe a few Mark Wylie metal originals on the street for the fine, albeit agitated folks of Barrie, Ontario. Maitreya was doing all the things that Brandon wanted to be doing!
Matt was working at Fresh Co when our original members were shopping for milk in Intervals T-shirts. Matt complimented them and the got to talking, turns out they were an instrumental band looking for a vocalist. They invited Matt to jam, and the rest is history.#5 Trumpet Collaboration
In the summer of 2023, the band had been offered a gig on a bill stacked with great Toronto prog bands. Everyone was available to do the date except our vocalist. We didn’t want to pass on the show so we contemplated just playing the show instrumentally. Mark had a crazy idea of attempting to find a saxophone or trumpet player to replace the vocal melodies and stretch out with improvised solos. We figured the audience of progressive music fans would be receptive to this attempt, so we hired jazz trumpeter Paul Callander to fill in. The show went way better than expected, and since we were in the final stages of pre-production for Auxesis – we had Paul record versions of his parts to use for an instrumental release of the EP.#6 Vestigial Memories Backstory
Matt:
There was a period in my life where my memories were overwhelming me, replaying the emotional low points over and over again, but then learning to flow with the more negative cycles as just another part of the wave. Ideals can blind you to reality if you choose to sugar coat everything.
L-R: Mark Wylie (Guitar) | Lyam Morrison (Bass) | Brandon Pellatt (Drums) | Matt Cutrara (Vocals)
Photo Credit: MG Ommert
Maitreya embodies catharsis in musical expression, designed to explore the turbulent emotions of the human condition. Established in 2016 from Whitby, Ontario, Maitreya (may-trey-ah) makes progressive metal music with foundation in heavy sounds, with heart open to ethereal lofty textures.
In the sophomore release of Hyper Reels (2021), the band’s full DNA unfolds revealing a simultaneous beauty and devastation. The densely layered compositions serve to guide listeners through a collection of commentaries exploring metaphysical reality, artificial intelligence, and the human soul’s place in that landscape. Jace Media highlights signature elements of the album, reviewing the work as “Heavy, contemporary metal chords are underscored by droning, chorusing vocals, but blink and you’ll miss them as Maitreya soon changes direction to a growling verse pandemonium. Their riffing is adventurous and deadly, cutting through weighty, rolling rhythms and movements.”
The character of Maitreya’s sound evolved greatly since their self-titled (2017) album. Fast frenetic guitar stylings, powerhouse vocal performances, and a full-tilt energetic live show cemented Maitreya as one of Toronto’s exciting up-and-coming metal bands, earning them spots on festivals like Wacken Metal Battle and Kitchener Metalfest. As Dentata Music reviews; “Maitreya’s music is sonic baptism, taking the listener from the fire pits to the icy peaks. The band’s self-titled album weaves an intricate melodic narrative, where both headbanging metal-heavy riffs and reflective vocal lines co-exist in the vortex of sonic alchemy, presented to the listener in its raw, unfiltered elemental form.”
The band entered a new chapter in 2023, seeing the departure of drummer Steve McMillan and guitarist Matt McCabe. Original members Mark Wylie (guitar), Lyam Morrison (bass), and Matt Cutrara (vocals) recruited drummer Brandon Pellatt to support the band’s increasing demands for rhythmic complexity and progressive genre-bending tendencies. 2024 will see the release of the Auxesis EP, five new original works that showcase the band’s trajectory into the modern progressive-metal sphere. A subsequent deluxe release will feature instrumental versions with trumpet performances, giving nod to the band’s influence in the jazz-fusion realm.
Discography:
2024 – Auxesis – EP
2021 – Hyper Reels – LP
2019 – Colonize – Single
2017 – Self Titled – LP
2023 – Oshawa Music Week – Oshawa, ON
2018 – Wacken Metal Battle – Toronto, ON
2018 – Kitchener Metalfest – Kitchener, ON
2017 – 5/4 fest – Toronto, ON
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