PUERTO RICAN prog-metal band Avandra have released new single “Celestial Wreaths” and announced the release of new album, Skylighting, out November 20th via Layered Reality Productions.
When the pandemic hit, guitarist Christian Ayala wrote “Celestial Wreaths” about the situation the world was in, and a snowball of creativity led to him writing a whole new album.
“‘Celestial Wreaths’ is an emotional song written during the pandemic that is hitting the world right now, about the inevitable loss that we have to deal with,” Christian says.
“It’s a song for all those who have lost a loved one during these trying times. May you find them shining bright in the night sky.
“This new album is the response to our current situation in the world due to everything that has happened to us. It became a voyage of loss and return through cosmic cycles in which I both searched inward and outward, combining my love for philosophy and current events into songs.
“We were joined this time around by keyboardist extraordinaire Vikram Shankar (Redemption, Silent Skies, Lux Terminus) who provided additional layers to the songs, taking them to a whole new level. We are really excited to share this record with all of you guys!”
Starting as Christian’s one-man project and evolving into a full live band in 2017, Puerto Rican quartet Avandra have been on a consistent musical journey: blending the technicality of progressive metal with the ambience of post-rock, their sound is both familiar, yet completely their own.
The follow-up to the critically acclaimed album Descender, which earned them tour offers for the USA and a slot on Prog Power Europe, Skylighting showcases a more introspective and ambient side to the band’s sound; yet when this album decides to hit hard, it leaves a big impact.
Featuring guest synths performed by renowned keyboardist Vikram Shankar, Skylighting was produced by Daniel Schwartz (Astronoid) and the mastered by Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, Scale The Summit, The Contortionist and more).
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