There is a reason the world calls Australia ‘metalcore island’.

We will further add to that reputation by sharing with you ‘Requiem’, the latest from Aussie modern metalcore band Artifact.

Insatiably groove-laden, this djent infused track takes the bands sound to a new level. The lead single from their upcoming EP Umbra, it introduces us to the elevation of complexity and heightened level of emotion that Artifact have been seeking in their sound.

Vocalist Bec Horseman shares,
“’Requiem‘ was the first song Hayden brought to life for this EP, but one of the last we touched on lyrically. We’d lived with the sound of it for a long time before the words came, and when Michael & I finally picked a lyrical theme – we told a story about the kind of long-term connections that shape (and sometimes scar) us. It’s about the subtle ways someone can poison you over time, whether through control, neglect, or projections, and the daily fight to dig yourself free once you have the clarity of hindsight and start processing how deeply it caused changes in you. We wanted it to be universal – something listeners could pin to any relationship that’s left its mark on them, whether it’s family, friends or partners.“

Guitarist and song writer Hayden Rapley further comments,

“The inspiration for ‘Requiem‘ kind of came from me being in a bad place with a lot of inner turmoil and the internal battles that I was facing, and that charged the song with a lot of punchiness as I just wanted to play what I was feeling.”

The single reaches us just before the band is set to head out on their Asia tour, their first ever international dates.

“I’m super excited to be heading to places I’ve dreamed of visiting for years, and to be bringing our art & stories to new audiences,” states Bec Horseman. 

“Connecting with the scene in Asia feels like the perfect next chapter for us as a band. I’ve checked out the bands we’ll be sharing the stage with, and I’m a big fan. I can’t wait to meet them and create some unforgettable experiences together”.

_{You can stream ‘Requiem’ here.
Watch the visualiser below.}

Saigon and Taiwan, here are your tour dates!