We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

The Usurper Regime

by Okwaho

supported by
MJ
MJ thumbnail
MJ Since Colin M. already wrote the perfect description of this album’s sound (doomy blackened sludge, sludgy blackened doom, take your pick), I’ll just add that as the world spins ever more toward madness and chaos, it’s always good to find a bit of dark solace/sanctuary in music that simply tells it like it is. Thanks, Okwaho for this gem. Favorite track: What A Wonderful Hell.
Colin M.
Colin M. thumbnail
Colin M. Oppressively heavy and crushing. Wicked blackened sludge painted over rumbling doom soundscapes lend proper weight to the devastating lyrics. This one will stick with me for a long while. Favorite track: The Mermaid B. The Drowning.
/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      €8 EUR  or more

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    12" Burgundy Marble Vinyl + Digital album.

    Vinyl comes in a Single Jacket. One pocket style, printed front and back ιncluding a double sided insert with artwork by Manster Design.

    IMPORTANT: The product mock up shown is not an exact view of how the vinyl is actually turning out!

    For orders within Greece contact us on Facebook or Instagram.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Usurper Regime via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 15 days

      €23 EUR or more 

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Standard 12" Black Vinyl + Digital album.

    Vinyl comes in a Single Jacket. One pocket style, printed front and back ιncluding a double sided insert with artwork by Manster Design.

    For orders within Greece contact us on Facebook or Instagram.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Usurper Regime via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 15 days

      €20 EUR or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a 6-page Digipack with artwork by Manster Design.

    For orders within Greece contact us on Facebook or Instagram.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Usurper Regime via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 15 days

      €12 EUR or more 

     

  • T-Shirt/Shirt

    The Usurper Regime artwork screen printed 100% cotton shirts.

    For orders within Greece contact us on Facebook or Instagram.
    ships out within 15 days

      €13 EUR or more 

     

  • The Usurper Regime artwork 44.5cm x 36cm (H x W) Patch.
    Limited number of items.

    For orders within Greece contact us on Facebook or Instagram.
    ships out within 15 days
    3 remaining

      €10 EUR or more 

     

  • Cassette + Digital Album

    The Usurper Regime in cassette form.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Usurper Regime via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 14 days
    2 remaining

      €10 EUR or more 

     

1.
Leaders called themselves victors of this crisis While festively hiding that on our backs rolled the dices Goebbel’s mouth once again paints the image of glory No amount of peasant deaths can stain this success story How does it feel to carry the burden The burden of thousand murders As clearly dictated by the neoliberal dogma Undermine every social structure drug induced coma Monetize the right to live The highest demanded product let the masses deal with the artificial shortage How does it feel to carry the burden The burden of thousand murders Leaders called themselves victors of this crisis turn their heads away from the fire as we breathe the ashes Facing the shore the self-proclaimed “Moses” didn’t see the waves but a sea of corpses How does it feel to carry the burden The burden of thousand murders The masks have fallen exposing your true face silence opposition authoritarian grace Uniformed sadistic maggots every chance they get serve excessive violence to those they swore to protect Imprisoned in our homes dictator’s wet dream constant loss of freedom Perfect Orwelian scene
2.
Between ruins and blood A soldier stands Asking what kind of god Would let this happen Place once full of life A swamp of death Where nothing thrives And nothing's left Unstoppable destructive force A surge of violence and death Millions of lives lost in vain What's left has to endure the pain Flags above their heads Guns on their hands Empahtic war chants Hide their atrocities Corpses scattered everywhere Blood stained soil Smell of death in the air Futile carnage Unstoppable destructive force A surge of violence and death Millions of lives lost in vain What's left has to endure the pain How someone becomes Insensitive murderer Under the absurd command Of belligerent men
3.
My name is Mina, I'm five years old. We begun our journey two months ago from Hamas in Syria. My mother hugged my very tight, throughout the entire journey she wouldn't let me go. Sometimes we walked sometimes we got on crowded busses and dusty trucks. The roads were bumpy but my mom never let me out of her arms. In the crowd people were constantly talking about something. On the bus some of them were crying, i ended up crying too. My father was killed in Hamas, I don't know why they killed him. My mother cried a lot and i cried too. Our journey was very long, at some point on the road they killed two kids and an old man. The men dug graves on the side of the road. The kid's graves were small. Their mothers hugged the graves and cried, they didn't want to come with us but the men pulled them away. We finally arrived at some place, everyone was a little happier. Some men said that during the night when it's dark we will go to the shore and get on a boat. "You can't come" they said to my mother. My mother begged them, she then pulled out of her chest three bracelets and gave them to the men. "OK you can come they said". With us was a woman named Layla. "What is the sea?" i asked her. "It's something with a lot of water, no matter how much you drink it never ends. Even if the entire village drinks it will never end." she said. We don't have a sea in our village. I've never seen the sea in my life, neither had my mother. When we got to the shore in the pitch black we still couldn't see the sea.
4.
Hundreds of people stacked in boats Desperate screams out of their throats Left helpless to drift with the waves Constant threat of water graves Parents holding their children In every heartbeat the grip gets tighter Fear is painted in their eyes Will they make it to the other side? Driven by hope sail in the dark The sea furiously bashing the hull The elders never stopped praying But the boat succumbs to the violent waves A tight embrace of sinking souls These waters deep and full of lies The salt of the earth now burning Within the salt of the sea’s drowning cries Stepped upon to sink again A “Don’t be afraid” is heard Fear reeks from miles away Tears overflowing this liquid grave The mermaid never saw the sea But glimpsed upon the moon Collapse upon the waves On this coldest day of June Light rises from the abyss Where the hull used to lie The loving hands that holds her still Won’t let the mermaid die They got us on a boat. We were far too many. My mother hugged my tight. They told us to hold on to the boat and my mother hugged my even tighter. "Mom what happens if we don't hold on to the boat?" My mother didn't answer. "You will fall in the sea and become a mermaid" said Layla. "A mermaid is both a girl and a fish". My name is Mina, I'm five years old. We have been in the sea for about a week. My mother holds me tight in her arms. She never lets me go. I'm a mermaid now.
5.
I see burning trees, dying roses too clouds of black smoke brightening the view I see the rotting earth, the polluted seas people and animals dying from some disease And I think to myself what a wonderful hell I see starving children lying on the dirt next to their parents who are already dead I see falling bombs from heavens spreading death the sound disturbs those who sleep on mounts of wealth And I think to myself what a wonderful hell And I think to myself that’s all we deserve I see the constant degradation of society how the ones in power exploit the weak I see a dying planet struggling to survive the endless greed that plagues humankind And I think to myself that’s all we deserve
6.
We're gathered here today cause you have to take the blame For reasons clearly explained we have to tighten the chains You keep abusing the freedom that was generously handed to you A justified punishment to reflect on the things you made us do They're pulling the strings and they make it feel right Got used to punishment with not will to fight Judgement is blurred Convinced we have sinned we wouldn't dare oppose their will Each day gets darker we can't see the light Succumbed to terror pain floods our minds Safe in enslavement Safe in enslavement Safe in enslavement Safe in enslavement
7.

about

On their second album, "The Usurper Regime, Okwaho let darkness seep in…

When the time came for the creation of "The Usurper Regime", Okwaho internalized the negation of the pandemic and socio-political events. They opened a new chapter where their politicized lyrics meet blackened sludge in a fusion that, as demonstrated by the album's opening track "The Burden Of Thousand Murders", the band listens to the modern and sharp aspect of extreme sound, and adapts it to its own style.

In six compositions, with a total duration of 39 minutes, the trio takes compositional risks that look (also) towards sharp and voluminous post-metal. A characteristic example and centerpiece of the album is the two-part "The Mermaid", which focuses on the refugee issue and the tragedy of people attempting to cross a sea - a liquid grave, exploring the band's sonic palette, including an exceptional recitation that does not sacrifice cohesion.

"The Usurper Regime" is an extreme metal album that, with its alternations in speeds and intensities, but not in emotional states, has its eye on the target. However, where it really shows its true self is in long compositions like "Safe In Enslavement". Okwaho structures their songs in a way that the succession of musical themes intensifies the pressure and accumulates anxiety that seeks release, taking their time as is evident from the doom riffs and dynamic drumming. The guitar leads are crucially placed throughout the album and function rejuvenatingly without distorting the desert landscape, and so each song harmoniously complements the framework of decay that the band construct deliberately.

It is a holistic approach that finds Okwaho upgraded on all levels, inviting a rebellion against the tyranny of normalcy with compositions that, removed from superficial showmanship, create a hellish canvas of everyday life through modern post/black/doom/sludge metal.

Apostolis Zamparas, rocking.gr

credits

released May 1, 2023

Alice Wanderland - Vocals on The Mermaid
Amy Rebecca Clarke Lens - Spoken word on The Mermaid
Kalidor - Vocals on Okwaho Black

All instruments and vocals recorded by Nikos Retsos at Wannabizz Studio
Spoken word on The Mermaid recorded by Mikko Chris Vlachos at Eightyard Studios
Mixed and mastered by Hector.d at ||hd.factory||
Artwork by Manster Design

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Okwaho Athens, Greece

Stoned by music, covered in sludge, waiting for our doom..

Members:

Andreas - Drums

Bob - Low end frequencies

George - Guitars and vocals
... more

contact / help

Contact Okwaho

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Okwaho, you may also like: