KAYAS ascends with their first full-length record – By the Moon and The Stars is available to stream now wherever you get your music! Get your physical copy here.
The album showcases the band’s strikingly polished brand of melodic death metal in a way that is pleasantly reminiscent of bands like Be’lakor, Insomnium, and other big players in the melodeath scene, but ultimately stands alone as Kayas’ unique and distinct sound.
On their landmark debut full-length release, the band comments:
“‘By the Moon and the Stars’ is Kayas at its core — a testament to years of dedication, perseverance, and triumph. We’re thrilled to finally share it with the world and hope it brings as much joy to our listeners as it has to us.“
Leading up to today’s album release, the band unveiled a video for the album’s track ‘Reflections In The Water’ – check it out here.
Capturing the essence of their sound, ‘By the Moon and the Stars’ incorporates elements drawn from the full spectrum of metal that imbues triumphant power through melodic movement interwoven with crushing harsh vocals and thunderous basslines. Listeners are taken on a journey through themes of nature, human existence, and fantasy, delivered with compelling melodies and lucid riffs that will make their hearts soar over ancient forests and still valleys.
First off, care to introduce KAYAS to our readers?
Kayas, hailing from Vancouver BC, is Devan Howes (vocals, guitar), Jessica Yang (guitar), JP Sauvé (vocals, bass), and Weston Philp (drums). With influences such as Kalmah and Insomnium, we play melodic death metal with a focus on catchy melodic passages and dueling guitars.
Can you tell us about how Kayas was formed and the journey that led you to become a band?
Kayas was formed in 2018 when guitarists Devan and Jess met in university. Sharing similar musical tastes and interests, we began writing some initial ideas that eventually evolved into our first songs. With the addition of JP Sauvé (vocals, bass) and Pierre Le Corroller (drums), Kayas played their first show in the fall of 2018.
What was the creative process like for your debut album, By the Moon and the Stars?
The creative process for our debut album was largely instinctive. Each of us takes influence from the music we listen to — while Scandinavian melodic death metal is a big influence for us, all the members of Kayas listen to a variety of music, leading to the album having a blend of elements from across all genres of metal. Though there’s a lot of emphasis on melody, we aim to create music that is energetic and powerful with dynamic sections that create and release tension. What Weston and JP added with drums and bass, as well as JP’s additional vocal ideas helped to complete the vision we had for the record.
Can you walk us through your songwriting process?
Usually, the guitars are written first, with a hooky riff or melody that serves as the central motif. We then build on this main idea with variations to develop the concept and build out new sections. We try not to force anything nor adhere to conventional song structures, instead opting to go for what flows naturally. Writing together and group jam sessions then help us refine our ideas and determine how things fit together, as well as generate new variations and layers. Another approach we’ve found is that it’s important to relisten to what we’ve written or recorded with fresh ears.
What’s next for Kayas after the release of By the Moon and the Stars?
We’ll be doing an album release show in Vancouver in early October. We’re also just finalizing dates for a short West Coast tour later in October, including stops in Edmonton and Calgary. Afterward, we’re excited to start working on some new music.
Last but not least, Looking back on your journey so far, what has been the most rewarding moment for Kayas as a band?
The most rewarding moment would be releasing our debut album. It was a long journey with many obstacles, so we’re really excited about sharing this album, playing upcoming shows, and jamming out some new ideas. We’re very grateful to all the fans who have supported us over the years and are thrilled to bring you this album after all this time.