NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – February 12, 2026
APE VERMIN Push Their Cosmic Sludge Saga Forward w/ New Video “Awakened”
From Latest Album “Andromedas Colossus”
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North Carolina’s progressive sludge metal juggernaut Ape Vermin has released a brand‑new lyric video for “Awakened,” the eighth and most explosive track from their latest album, “Andromedas Colossus.” The video was crafted by Kenji Tsunami of Tsunami Films, known for his visual work as well as his role as bassist for Narcotic Wasteland.
“Awakened” stands as the album’s most ferocious statement, a collision of sludge, thrash, and apocalyptic storytelling delivered with the band’s signature weight and intensity. According to guitarist/vocalist Brett Lee, the track represents a pivotal moment in the album’s narrative:
“We’re back, and we’re making up for lost time. Hell has come back to life. The Colossus is awake.”
Kenji Tsunami’s visual interpretation amplifies the track’s themes of cosmic destruction, ancient forces, and the return of something colossal and malevolent. The lyric video mirrors the album’s overarching atmosphere, dark, prophetic, and unrelenting, while giving fans a deeper look into the world Ape Vermin has constructed across the record.
The band describes “Andromedas Colossus” as dynamic, melodic, visceral, and brutally dark, both musically and lyrically. “Awakened” embodies all of these traits, merging machine‑gun double bass, razor‑sharp guitar leads reminiscent of Dimebag Darrell and Kerry King, and enough low‑end force to “destroy planets,” as Lee puts it.
Formed in 2017, Ape Vermin has evolved into a three‑piece force of colossal riffs and amplifier worship. The lineup, Brett Lee (guitar/vocals), Seth Lynn (drums), and Jared Edge (bass), has built a reputation across North America for a no‑frills, high‑volume live show rooted in heaviness and precision.
Tracks on “Andromedas Colossus” were in development for nearly five years, some written immediately after the band’s previous release, “Sonic Monolith.” The album takes listeners on what the band calls an “epic sonic journey,” moving from the crushing opener “Obliteration Imminent” to the atmospheric “Colony,” the prophetic “Solaruss,” the hypnotic instrumental “Pulse Driver,” and the environmentally charged “Mining the Colossus.” The record’s closing tracks, “Unearthing the Artifact” and “Return to Andromeda,” complete a narrative steeped in cosmic horror, mysticism, and the darker corners of the human psyche.
As the band’s personal favorite, “Awakened” represents the album’s thematic eruption. Its lyrics, invoking ten thousand years of slumber, portals of time, and the rebirth of hell, reflect the dark realm Lee has been building in his writing for over a decade. Influenced by outer‑space phenomena, extraterrestrial lore, prehistoric myth, murder, psychedelics, and sci‑fi horror, Ape Vermin’s lyrical world is as expansive as it is sinister.
With influences ranging from High on Fire, Crowbar, Mastodon, Yob, and Conan, the band continues to push sludge metal into new territory, blending doom, thrash, groove, progressive elements, and death‑tinged aggression. Fans can expect even more crushing material on the next LP, which the band confirms is already in motion.
Watch the “Awakened” lyric video via its premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE.
Released on May 17th, 2024, “Andromedas Colossus” can be heard at the following links:
Bandcamp – https://apevermin.bandcamp.com/
Add to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/album/1Y5DAyV5AP3hLNSMDfuQkh
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Track Listing:
1. Obliteration Imminent – 5:12
2. Colony – 7:00
3. Solaruss – 5:30
4. Pulse Driver – 3:47
5. Mining The Colossus – 8:06
6. Signal Transmissions – 2:45
7. Motherlode – 8:32
8. Awakened – 3:17
9. Unearthing the Artifact – 7:43
10. Return to Andromeda – 7:57
Album/Live Band Line Up:
Guitarist/Vocalist – Brett Lee
Drummer – Seth Lynn
Bassist – Jared Edge
More info: Facebook.com/ProgressiveDoom | Instagram.com/ape_vermin_official
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“Ape Vermin’s Andromedas Colossus is doom to the core. Though a lot for one sitting, it’ll sustain your attention during a long walk or drive. Fans of the genre will find much to relish, be it individual tracks or the whole, and it’s certainly one of the standout albums of the year so far.” – Doomed And Stoned
“Lovers of slow, massive riffs, rejoice! Ape Vermin is here for your daily dose of gnarly Sludge and Doom Metal music!” – Ghost Cult Magazine
“Ape Vermin have delivered a bone-crunching album that pulls no punches with it’s fearless attitude and exploration into SONIC and PSYCHEDELIC manipulation of the highest order.” – Outlaws of The Sun
“if you’re looking to be transported to another crushingly heavy musical universe, Ape Vermin are worth a listen.” – Rough Edge
“These axe-generated discharges alone were the stuff of Tony Iommi’s nightmares, but then the bass-made ferociously fuzz-rich, rhythmic rumbles and intensely explosive drumming sealed the deal. All combined and then topped off with Lee’s caveman-like gutturalized grunting vocals, it was a recipe that could’ve resulted in APE VERMIN being culpable for assault & battery charges.” – Riff Relevant
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