tag:www.kozen.org,2005:/blogs/latest-news?p=2Latest News2024-01-26T16:38:13-05:00KOZEN is a rock band from Toronto, Canada that wants to have conversations with musicians and other creatives about how spirituality, religion, philosophy, music, and culture all intersect in their lives. With both interviews and lecture format shows, band frontman Max Aka hopes to foster conversation about how the musical arts help us to find and express meaning in human life. Exploring modern music culture & spiritualityKOZENfalseKOZENkozenmusic@gmail.comtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/73406932024-01-26T16:38:13-05:002024-03-28T03:32:11-04:00To the wind, and start again...<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/197110/3e64a68ddb8e6f5278e92f9c0e0b0eb222b86cde/original/kozen-edit-36.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>We are well overdue for an update.</p><p>The last time we gave you a blog post on this site, it was 2022. Our latest release was the acoustic EP <i>Undercurrent</i>. Over the course of 2022, we played three shows - two of them private house events. The next year rolled around, and things must have seemed ever slower from your perspective. Through all of 2023 we only played one show - again, a private event - and we released no new music. We had a couple of videos go up on YouTube, and a major photoshoot that was meant to carry us through 2024 and a new release cycle. Behind the scenes, we've been working for <i>years</i> on new material worthy of our awesome listeners. </p><p>But change is always just around the corner. Sid decided to the second and likely final time that he needed to step away from Kozen to focus on other pursuits. Max remains a contributor to Sid's project <i>Overflow, </i>but Sid's time with Kozen has come to an end. There are other significant changes that are happening within our ranks in terms of band membership, but we will save more updates on that for a later date. For now, we're reflecting gratefully on the time we spent with Sid in the band, starting basically 9 years ago. </p><p>And it's been wild to think about just how long Kozen has existed as a band. In 2025 we will legitimately be looking at a whole decade of this band, and we couldn't be more thankful to have had this opportunity for so long. That being said, time is not a determining factor. We're just as determined as ever to bring you thoughtful, boundary-pushing music. And that process resumes this year.</p><p>We can't yet announce exactly what we have in store for you this year, but we can promise that you will hear some new material. The band has been hard at work creating a solid body of work, and I (Max) also have some more solo material on the horizon. We have also been booking shows, and those of you in various spots around southern Ontario will be happy to know that we already have three shows booked and are looking to extend our reach more - out from Toronto and into the rest of the province. Maybe even beyond, if it works out. We would love to see some Quebec friends again sometime sooner than later. Stay tuned to see what ends up happening!</p><p>The story of Kozen is not over, and in some ways the vision we have for our upcoming material may be some of the most engaging music we have created yet. Thank you for sticking with us through all the changes, the long dry spells, and the uncertainty that has followed this band for so long. You have made it worthwhile to continue existing.</p><p>With love,</p><p>KOZEN</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/71303722022-12-30T14:30:00-05:002024-03-28T03:25:05-04:00KOZEN's 2022 in Review<p>What a wild and wonderful ride 2022 has been.</p>
<p>As we come down to the end of the year, I feel a distinct mix of feelings. On the one hand – I can't help but wish we had more time in the year to do more things. Working with band members spread across multiple cities has always presented logistical challenges, and while we have found ways to make it work, it often feels like there just isn't enough time to get the whole squad together.</p><!-- more -->
<p>On the other hand, I'm thrilled with all we have accomplished this year, given our limitations. After a couple years of no shows and very few new songs, 2022 gave us a reversal of the trend. We got to perform three times – not a staggering or drastic number, but it felt monumentally huge compared to the nothing that preceded it. There are several people to thank for the opportunities:</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="PglVBpx65go" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/PglVBpx65go/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PglVBpx65go?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>First, <strong>Dillon Owens</strong> from <strong>AfterWake</strong> was the mastermind behind the incredible <strong>D-Stock</strong>. Prior to COVID, Dillon had hosted a yearly prog festival in his back yard. With restrictions loosening, he decided to bring the festival back, and graciously invited us to headline. It was our first show back in a while and we performed with a modified lineup because of some last minute planning and unavailabilities - but we greatly appreciate <strong>Jeremy Brousseau</strong> (<strong>Talking Violet</strong>) and our longtime friend and partner <strong>Brett Santacona</strong> for filling in and contributing to one of our most unique and memorable shows in a long time. A big shoutout is also due to AfterWake, <strong>Pilot Project</strong>, and <strong>Hands Pockets</strong> - who brought their own deeply unique and awesome qualities to the show. We can't wait to come back to D-Stock whenever we can!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/d9eea64e614afadb4eced7a19aeffdeb5e049d01/original/visions-of-morpheus-show-small.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_xl justify_center border_none" alt="" />Secondly, a huge shoutout goes to <strong>Jeff Pearson</strong> and his band <strong>Visions of Morpheus</strong>. Our second show of the year was another prog showcase. It was also our first live performance with Sid performing bass - a role that he had taken up in studio since the release of "<em>Somebody Else</em>" but had never fully inaugurated in a live context. It was Jared's first show back on drums since the pandemic hit, too. We had the privilege of playing two of our newest songs (<em>Somebody Else</em> and <em>Backpedal</em>) as well as reintroducing a crucial classic, <em>Shadow Ocean Stagnant</em>. We greatly enjoyed watching instrumental prog adventurers <strong>Robot Philosopher</strong> perform – complete with epic keytar! And Visions of Morpheus was absolutely phenomenal - as if <strong>Iron Maiden</strong>, <strong>Dream Theater</strong>, <strong>Symphony X</strong>, and <strong>Dragonforce</strong> had all been reincarnated into one band. Overall it was a memorable night and a welcome return to our home away from home in Oshawa.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/e962fcf0deecaf9e037e25b679d58a9ccd95d50e/original/xmas-show-finalinsta-post-single-post.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_xl justify_center border_none" alt="" />Thirdly, we can't give enough love to our longtime friends in <strong>Polarity</strong>, who hosted us for a private show in their basement rehearsal space. This year ended up being the first time we got to play house parties - one outdoors and one indoors! Polarity has been there for us in a real, tangible way since very early in our career. Our first show with them was at <strong>The Atria</strong> (Oshawa, ON) in 2016, and we immediately felt a strong affinity for them. Polarity exists in the same space as KOZEN - definitely metal and heavier than a lot of bands in the scene, but decidedly on the melodic side and also much more accessible than the more brutal acts out there. Over the years we have performed together multiple times, and we've had the pleasure of swapping the opener-headliner dynamic with them on at least one occasion.</p>
<p>Being able to be part of this show was a huge blessing for us. All of the other bands - <strong>Bad Choice</strong>, <strong>Sly Gargantuan</strong>, and <strong>The Neo Lux</strong> - brought their own characteristic flare to the night. The Neo Lux in particular reminded us all, through their own pop-punk/post-hardcore flavour, of the pedigree of the southern Ontario music scene, and the many globally notable acts that have emerged from this scene. With Polarity tasting the glory of major radio play in Canada and a seemingly ever growing return on their decade+ artistic investment, it feels like we are seeing that pattern on the verge of repeating itself - and we couldn't be prouder to be even just a small part of this moment in time.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="olijQNiamIo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/olijQNiamIo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/olijQNiamIo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>This year has also been a year of new music for us. Back in March we released "<em>Backpedal</em>" - a continuation of our love of fusing funk and metal, but also our most unambiguously <em>metalcore</em> song to date. I've been hesitant at times about the among of screaming and growling to include in KOZEN songs, but it seems we've found a way to do a lot of it without losing our sound. Backpedal is also one of our shortest songs, which makes it a very useful and logical enhancement to our live show.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/be624465fdb8ee38fff1e045f63e3111377e166d/original/kozen-undercurrent-v2-draft-5-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_xl justify_center border_none" alt="" />We also finally put out the acoustic EP – <em>Undercurrent</em> – that we had been planning and gently teasing for a couple years. This project kept getting pushed to the back burner, but we managed to make it happen at long last. A mix of new material and remakes from previously released songs, Undercurrent allowed us to showcase the more subtle and subdued side of our music. <strong>Evin Nazya</strong>, one of our vocal collaborators on the record, pointed out that these acoustic versions really brought out the pretty side of these songs that might not otherwise we obvious in their more distorted original forms. Evin also released an awesome EP this year called <em>Small Talk</em> - and as far as I'm concerned it ranks right alongside the very best of what is happening in contemporary R&B.</p>
<p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="380" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/1TMyrP77Y2IlSlnMbZjBOQ?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius:12px" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>Our other collaborators on Undercurrent were equally important. Having <strong>Yahara Leone</strong> feature on our song "<em>Nail</em>" was particularly special because the song was actually originally written about her. She basically feels like a little sister to me at this point, and I've always tried to support her growth as an artist and as a person. Hearing her incredible voice singing words that I had written to encourage her felt like a "full-circle" moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Meanwhile, <strong>Shannon Dooks</strong> is a longtime family friend; even our parents were friends from way before either of us had been born. We had sung together and collaborated in different ways over the years, but had never actually released any music together. Her contribution to the song "Undercurrent" just fit perfectly, and her voice lent a vulnerable, haunting, delicate quality that mine could never quite achieve. Having a vocalist of her caliber in our circle is an honour – she has been featured in songs alongside the likes of <strong>Daniel Caesar</strong> ("<em>Violet</em>") and <strong>Snoop Dogg </strong>("<em>Christmas In California</em>," <strong>Raff Pylon</strong>). </p>
<p>The Undercurrent EP also marked the first time we had incorporated group a cappella singing, classical guitar, and the Okinawan sanshin into our music. These elements are not visitors in our repertoire; you will hear them again, and more frequently. </p>
<p>Looking back on it, this was an excellent year for us and I could not be more excited for all that 2023 has in store. We have been writing and writing and writing. There are plenty of new KOZEN songs waiting to be heard, and you will be hearing some of that work in the new year. </p>
<p>Until then, take care of yourselves, and thank you for sticking with us through this journey. God bless you all in 2023,</p>
<p>-Max & the rest of KOZEN</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/69217212022-03-14T10:30:22-04:002024-03-28T03:26:09-04:00BACKPEDAL!!<p>Our new single BACKPEDAL has been out for just over a week now, and we are excited by the response we've gotten so far. Some folks are saying that the lyrics are the best part of the song, while others are enjoying a more high-intensity fusion of the Metal and Funk elements. And of course, there have been a few instances of people saying it sounds like <em>anime theme song music</em>, which is basically what we expect to hear about any of our songs at this point. </p>
<p>You can check out the song on your favourite music platform <a contents="at this link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/backpedal-kozen">at this link</a>, and watch the lyric video for the song here:</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="olijQNiamIo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/olijQNiamIo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/olijQNiamIo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>This is our first piece of new material for 2022 but it is far from our last. Stay tuned with us and we will be bringing you more content, more music, and hopefully an eventual return to live shows. </p>
<p>Thanks again for all the support you give us, whether in social media comments, streams, conversations, or merch purchases. All of it means a lot to us. </p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/68391962021-12-13T11:22:46-05:002024-03-28T03:29:19-04:00Lyric videos out on YouTube!<p>Hey Kozies!</p>
<p>If you've followed us on YouTube, you may have noticed that we recently shared lyric videos for every song on our record <i>A Fearful Wonder</i>. We are planning on eventually having lyric videos available for every song we've ever released, but this is a start for now. Actually, this is in addition to the lyric videos we had already made for Summer Never Ends and Jitterthink. So there is a lot of material there! We've arranged them all into<strong> <a contents="a playlist" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiII4A03qRNdjvioYH2x80JCODy6WjrkF">a playlist</a></strong>, just in case you'd like to read along and learn the words as you listen.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="trx4OPC-7s0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/trx4OPC-7s0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/trx4OPC-7s0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>We're are steadily coming up to the end of the year, and it has been an interesting one. COVID-19 has once again kept many of us apart from friends and family, and we hope that everyone has managed to stay healthy and sane as things have carried on. We also know that there are signs of life and hope popping up. The live music scene is even making a comeback! Still, we know there are people with all kinds of concerns, and we wish everyone the best in whatever ways you are handling the ongoing pandemic. </p>
<p>Overall, 2021 was a reasonably productive year for us. We released a new single, Jitterthink, which was our first song with a guest featured artist from our scene (big thanks again to Nick from Pillars of Autumn). We also released a livestreamed performance video that took a lot of work but yielded a lot of reward and value. We have also had the time to do some more writing, thinking, and planning as a band, and we have <em>lots of stuff</em> in store for you in 2022. Can't wait to share it all with you. </p>
<p>Take care of yourselves. And a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to everyone celebrating.</p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/68213722021-11-25T14:23:16-05:002024-03-28T03:31:01-04:00"DOMICILE" Released as Live-From-Home Album!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/caff98aacf9e14e0bb701ac9adaf8d69721b12ba/original/domicile-album-cover-kozen.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Our "semi-live" from home album <strong>DOMICILE</strong> is out! We enjoyed putting this out on YouTube, but we are excited to also share this with you on streaming platforms and on Bandcamp. You can check out the album at this link (<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://smarturl.it/KozenDomicile">http://smarturl.it/KozenDomicile</a>). </p>
<p>Also, if you pick up the record on Bandcamp, you'll grab a slight visual variant of the album cover. Just wanted to give you some variety. We hope you enjoy listening to this recording, and we hope it holds you over during the time until our next release. We have plenty more in the works for you all. You'll hear more when the time is right. </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong><u>Tracklist: </u></strong></span></p>
<ol> <li>Barricade </li> <li>From Heaven (featuring Sarah "AERIA" Gribeauval) </li> <li>With Open Eyes </li> <li>Summer Never Ends (featuring Richie "Newan" Nguyen of Odd Ones & Uforia) </li> <li>Somebody Else </li> <li>Jitterthink (featuring Nick Young from Pillars of Autumn) </li> <li>To The Wind (featuring Jason from Nightwell) </li> <li>Red Sky (featuring KOZEN alumnus Sid Harris)</li>
</ol>
<p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/0o2UxOQO9NEiyiRrqFfMpL?utm_source=generator" width="100%"></iframe></p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/67203742021-08-18T11:37:13-04:002024-03-28T03:32:11-04:00August 2021 Livestream!<p>Hey Kozies!</p>
<p>While the ongoing pandemic has locked a lot of us down (especially those of us who are in Canada), we decided it would be worthwhile to put together a "from-home" concert experience. There are new singles (three, in fact) that we have released over the course of the pandemic that we have never had a chance to perform yet, as well as old favourites that we were itching to play.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/480a6a02e9a61e47e3da2b950d1378e55db494a4/original/barricade-group-shot-thirds-solo-chug.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_xl justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>And so, we got together back in July and used the resources we had at our disposal to create something special, something unique, something that wouldn't just be another run of the mill "band members playing to their laptop cameras in their bedrooms" type of video that became so popular during 2020. We wanted these recordings to have visual staying power - the ability to be memorable as a significant moment when we as a band <em>did something</em> to stay active in the midst of really frustrating circumstances. </p>
<p>On Saturday, August 21, 2021, at 7:30pm we will be streaming our pre-recorded home concert on <a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/c/KOZENMUSIC">YouTube</a> and <a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/KozenMusic/">Facebook</a>. We can't wait to share these performances with you. There are some surprises hidden in there that we are super excited to spring on everyone, so make sure to tune in. The concert will remain available to view after the stream for those who are not able to catch it on that night. </p>
<p>Here's to everyone making an effort to bring live music back. We wish everyone the best and hope that you are all staying physically and mentally healthy in these trying times.</p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/66267482021-05-10T16:10:25-04:002023-12-10T13:50:23-05:00Heavier Singles<p>It's amazing to think that the last time we posted on the blog here, it was August of 2020. We had just released <strong>Summer Never Ends</strong>, one of our most fun and "Pop" oriented songs yet. We're still excited about that song and are eager to play it for you someday when outside becomes open again. </p>
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<p>In the meantime, we've taken some time to focus on the heavier side of our sound with our two lastest singles. Back in December, we released <strong>Somebody Else </strong>when we wanted to explore the Trap-Metal side of things, and just last Friday we released <strong>Jitterthink</strong>, a more straightforward metalcore track with amazingly brutal guest vocals from our buddy Nick Young from the Toronto Deathcore band Pillars of Autumn. The lyric video for the song is out now. </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="1WwLU23H00A" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/1WwLU23H00A/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1WwLU23H00A?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>We have also had some significant changes in our band. We are now functioning as a three-piece band, with Sid and Jeremy having stepped away at various points to focus on other projects. We still love those guys and even have some shared ongoing projects with them outside of Kozen. For the foreseeable future, though, Kozen will operate with Jared, Jericho, and Max as the full lineup of the band. </p>
<p>We are always hard at work on more music and more content, so please stay tuned for everything else we've got on the way. In the meantime, make sure to listen to all of our most recent tracks, and take time to share them with your friends! When shows finally become a thing again, we would <em>love</em> to see you all knowing the words and singing along.</p>
<p>Hope you're all staying healthy and sane in these absolutely wild times. Take care of yourselves, and we will hopefully see you <em>in person</em> sometime soon.</p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>
<p> </p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/64152422020-08-22T20:24:01-04:002023-12-10T11:54:58-05:00Summer Never Ends is Out!<p>Our new single, Summer Never Ends, is out now on all platforms!! Our lyric video for the song is up on YouTube now, so make sure to take a listen.</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ilkeD5wqu3s" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>We are proud to present our latest single, "Summer Never Ends." This song is dedicated to everyone who didn't get the summer they wanted in 2020 because of COVID-19. </p>
<p>For this video, we are partnering with visual artist, photographer, videographer, and all around Instagram star <a contents="Quionie" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.instagram.com/quionie">Quionie</a> to help people vicariously capture the summer they could have had in 2020. Many of you were stuck inside more than we would have liked to be this summer. This song and this video are for all of you. We hope that you find hope in the midst of this pandemic. We all long to live in a world free from these kinds of problems. May this song be a foretaste of the hope and peace that are yet to come. </p>
<p>Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ilkeD5wqu3s </p>
<p>Make sure to check out Quionie's channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/officialqgee </p>
<p>Produced by KOZEN <br>Mixed & Mastered by Adam Josh Pondang (www.instagram.com/adamjoshp/) </p>
<p>MUSICIANS: <br>Maxwell Kozen: Vocals, Guitars, Synth, Bass (@maxwellkozen) <br>Sidone Harrison: Keys, Organ, Bass (@sidharrismusic) <br>Jared Leal: Drums, Percussion (@jred_leal) <br>Jericho Leal: Guitars (@the.jerichoproject) </p>
<p>SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO APPEARS IN THE VIDEO: <br><a contents="@quionie" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/quionie/">@quionie</a> <br><a contents="@ngoriiakl&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/ngoriiakl/">@ngoriiakl </a><br><a contents="@_sqwids_ &nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/_sqwids_/">@_sqwids_ </a><br><a contents="@petalapieper" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/petalapieper/">@petalapieper</a> <br><a contents="@dev_dev11" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/dev_dev11/">@dev_dev11</a> </p>
<p> </p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/64091412020-08-13T21:44:59-04:002023-12-10T11:46:16-05:00Summer Never Ends - New Single Aug. 21, 2020<p><span class="font_large">SUMMER NEVER ENDS!!!</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/3bcfbe6e9c970cced883557204e84356737f001c/original/sne-quionie-10.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Well, summer itself may end as a season, but that's no reason not to make the best of what's left, right? </p>
<p>Next Friday (August 21, 2020) we will be releasing a new single, “Summer Never Ends.” This is going to be a bit ... different, even by our standards, but we are thrilled to be releasing new music. We self produced this one (as we always have) and had mixing and mastering done by the incredible <a contents="Adam Josh Pondang" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/adamjoshp/">Adam Josh Pondang</a> - so bands and artists, if you are looking for someone to work on your project, keep Adam in mind. We are honestly stoked about how good this song turned out on a sonic level. </p>
<p>We are also partnering with an amazing creative - <a contents="Quionie" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/quionie/">Quionie</a> - to bring you the visual side of this release. She’s a photographer, videographer, storyteller, and all around visual artist based in Michigan. Honestly just check out her page, I’m sure you’ll love what you see. </p>
<p>I know summer is winding down and is basically over, but there are a few weeks of hot weather left (depending where you’re at!) and know that many people haven’t gotten he summer they wished they could have had in 2020. So this release is dedicated to everyone who found they spent their summer of 2020 stuck inside at home rather than out at festivals, on the beach, at parties, or simply spending time with friends. We know the pandemic has hit everyone in unexpected and sometimes irritating or even painful ways. A lot of our plans for this year got upended. But we are making the best of it, and hope that this song and everything that comes with it can vicariously give you the summer adventures and fun that you might not have had. </p>
<p>Didn’t want to announce this too soon and leave it waiting for too long. Make sure to pre-save the song and share this post to your story - we want as many people as possible to hear this track on release day. Can’t wait for you all to hear our most ... tropical??? song yet.</p>
<p>SPOTIFY PRE-SAVE HERE: https://show.co/WTsE4RW </p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://show.co/social-unlock/2ZIOvymwqTyC5PTmYMNANI/widget" width="100%"></iframe></p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/63473442020-06-09T09:47:40-04:002022-05-23T13:13:15-04:00A Fearful Wonder Instrumental Album Released!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/db02a55181c394c2b364215f05b5ed0b4abfd34b/original/afearfulwondercovertextless2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" />We have just released the Instrumental version of our album A Fearful Wonder - and you can check it out on any major distributor <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/AFWinstrumental" target="_blank">here</a>. Unfortunately, there were some hiccups in our distribution process. We initially wanted to release this on the anniversary of our album release show, but because of an error we unfortunately have it dropping in the middle of a random week. Our bad!<!-- more --></p>
<p>However, we are still eager to get this into your hands. Our producer/mix/mastering engineer on this album - Stephen James Kerr - gave us both the full version of the album as well as a cut with all the vocals removed. This instrumental version of the album is fun to listen to because many layers - especially keyboards - that were otherwise buried underneath vocals on the album are now more audible. You can listen closely for some of the subtler details of the music. Also, during this COVID-19 times, if you are studying or working or reading at home, you may find this version of the album to be easier to listen to without getting distracted. So we hope that over time you come to really enjoy this version of the album as much as we do!</p>
<p>In the meantime, we have been working on a handful of projects. The speed of production and writing has slowed down as we are not able to get together to work as much, and many of us in the band have been swamped with outside work (from home). Still, we have new material in the pipeline that we are eager to share with you as soon as we can. There will be a little bit of something for everybody - some for the fans of our softer and mom Pop leaning side, and some material for those who love the heavier side of KOZEN. </p>
<p>Thank you so much for still being with us on this journey. Here's hoping to see you all at a show sooner than later. But until then, stay healthy and stay safe. </p>
<p>And to the black community, with the ongoing strife and suffering - we stand with you! You matter to us.</p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>
<p><a contents="http://hyperurl.co/AFWinstrumental&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/AFWinstrumental" target="_blank">http://hyperurl.co/AFWinstrumental </a></p>
<p><a contents="https://kozen.bandcamp.com/album/a-fearful-wonder-instrumental" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kozen.bandcamp.com/album/a-fearful-wonder-instrumental">https://kozen.bandcamp.com/album/a-fearful-wonder-instrumental</a></p>
<p><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/2Rz8murjK8UB725lz2ILZX" width="300"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/62172562020-02-16T16:00:36-05:002022-05-25T05:46:28-04:00Take The Sky Play-Through Video<p>What's up Kozies! We have just released a play-through video for our song Take The Sky, which I guess sort of makes this the second music video from <em>A Fearful Wonder.</em> This is one of the most progressive and complex songs we have right now, and we're thrilled to be able to present it to you with a detailed look at every part we are playing. Enjoy the video here, and make sure to listen to the rest of <a contents="A Fearful Wonder " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/AFearfulWonder"><em>A Fearful Wonder</em> </a>today!!! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="VEqchqKpO4Y" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/VEqchqKpO4Y/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VEqchqKpO4Y?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/59289462019-10-16T18:02:32-04:002022-05-28T16:29:36-04:00Steel - REFORGED [A Dubstep Remix]<p>Hey everyone, Max here.</p>
<p>We're a few months past the release of <em>A Fearful Wonder</em> and I wanted to share some new content with everyone. I have a tendency to dabble in EDM and I cooked up a remix of our song <em>Steel. </em>This is a soft, unofficial release - kind of a bonus tidbit - so it's available on my personal Soundcloud and YouTube channel. Links to those below! Enjoy!</p>
<p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/693433912&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="PS5WYLKf8Xo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/PS5WYLKf8Xo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PS5WYLKf8Xo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/58101972019-07-01T12:34:35-04:002023-12-10T14:10:55-05:00Lyrics to A Fearful Wonder<h2><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/1d7a4550a7d7741c48d561f03a9e1ba822a8218f/original/afearfulwondercovertextless.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_xl justify_center border_" /></h2>
<h2><a contents="A Fearful Wonder" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/AFearfulWonder">A Fearful Wonder</a></h2>
<h3>1. With Open Eyes</h3>
<p>There’s so much you won’t let go <br>So gripped by the emptiness <br>You won’t show it but I know <br>You’ve sunken into distress <br>All that you refuse to face <br>Leaves you guarded and austere <br>Hiding an arcane disgrace <br>And living enslaved to fear </p><!-- more -->
<p>Don’t you want to feel a little more alive <br>And live with open eyes? <br>‘Cause if you can believe, you’ll find you’re just in time <br>To leave it all behind </p>
<p>You have carried endless war <br>Inside of your mind <br>Picture now an open door <br>And take back the time </p>
<p>Don’t you wanna feel a little more alive <br>And live with open eyes? <br>‘Cause if you can believe, you’ll find you’re just in time <br>To leave it all behind </p>
<p>With open eyes </p>
<p>Don’t you wanna feel a little more alive <br>And live with open eyes? <br>‘Cause if you can believe, you’ll find you’re just in time <br>To leave it all behind</p>
<h3>2. Rooted In Thin Air</h3>
<p>They said there was nothing out there <br>But what has always been <br>Worlds eternal that never did begin <br>An infinite regression <br>And quietly I've longed for something else <br>But where's the truth to tell <br>When someone's truth is false to someone else <br>And thoughts unwrite themselves? </p>
<p>I feel this mystery (It's so real to me) </p>
<p>Show me your reality <br>Beyond the lies they share, <br>They're rooted in thin air <br>Let me see the mystery <br>Around us everywhere <br>In thin air </p>
<p>They said you had come from somewhere else <br>Older than time itself <br>Worlds above us sent a message down <br>And somehow I never found out. </p>
<p>"Show me your reality <br>Let me see the mystery" </p>
<p>Show me your reality <br>Beyond the lies they share, <br>They're rooted in thin air <br>Let me see the mystery <br>Around us everywhere <br>In thin air</p>
<h3>3. Steel</h3>
<p>Light me in the forge and forge me in the light <br>Teach my soul to stand, my soul to stand and fight <br>(I) Steel myself to test the steel that’s burning bright <br>Teach my soul to stand, my soul to stand and fight <br>Oh my soul to stand and fight </p>
<p>Formless ore to brandished blade <br>A transformation wrought by pain <br>Born of hammer, born of flame <br>Born again with a new name <br>Arms made strong to bear the sword <br>Are first to bear the cross <br>Victory the true reward <br>Of those who learn from loss </p>
<p>Light me in the forge and forge me in the light <br>Teach my soul to stand, my soul to stand and fight <br>(I) Steel myself to test the steel that’s burning bright <br>Teach my soul to stand, my soul to stand and fight <br>Oh my soul to stand and fight </p>
<p>And all that burns away was never meant to stay </p>
<p>Scorched and tortured into shape <br>With every strike the hammer makes <br>A living weapon, loathe to fate <br>So stick me back into the blaze </p>
<p>Sharpen the edge of my defense <br>Scars will forget the blood they’ve bled <br>So bleed <br>Bleed </p>
<p>Light me in the forge and forge me in the light <br>Teach my soul to stand, my soul to stand and fight <br>(I) Steel myself to test the steel that’s burning bright <br>Teach my soul to stand, my soul to stand and fight <br>Oh my soul to stand and fight</p>
<h3>4. Waveway</h3>
<p>Love I need I give away <br>Love in vain – the price I pay <br>Love I need I give away <br>I’ve trained my heart for this mistake </p>
<p>So there’s a singer on the stereo <br>Who said he had a little love that he spread too thin <br>Now perfectly lonely is the song I know <br>Cause only I know how I’ve spread my sin <br>Indictment comes when I least expect <br>Rebuking this inclination <br>They wage their war with no respect <br>Make love – make war, these passions wreck </p>
<p>Until my heart learns to love right <br>I give the love I need away </p>
<p>Love I need I give away <br>Love in vain – the price I pay <br>Love I need I give away <br>I’ve trained my heart for this mistake <br>Evermore becoming fake <br>It’s a sin sick wish I make <br>One of many hearts I’ll break <br>I’ve trained my heart for this mistake </p>
<p>Awake before it so desires <br>My heart lights me with this dark fire <br>I make believe sincerity <br>If I can't think that I'm even worth saving <br>I will breed disregard <br>And so watch them wave as they fade (images all float away) <br>Misappropriated passion spawns bewilderment <br>Vanity presumed on its right time <br>And thought you were mine </p>
<p>Love I need I give away <br>Love in vain – the price I pay <br>Love I need I give away <br>I’ve trained my heart for this mistake <br>Evermore becoming fake <br>It’s a sin sick wish I make <br>One of many hearts I’ll break <br>I’ve trained my heart for this mistake </p>
<p>Regret knows my name, <br>Regret knows my face, <br>My hand, <br>Your heart torn through your ribcage <br>And through skin <br>I never meant for you to truly let me in.</p>
<h3>5. To The Wind</h3>
<p>Throw it away to the wind and start again </p>
<p>We built a wall made out of words <br>To try to keep us safe <br>We built that wall into towers <br>With keepers at the gates <br>Now I want to find out what is real <br>Not just what they told me I should feel <br>I saw a light from the outside <br>A window opened wide </p>
<p>And if I don’t belong here in this place <br>Let the walls give way; they can’t keep me safe <br>And if the words are wrong, find out what’s fake <br>Throw it away to the wind and start again </p>
<p>Backspace on bricks around the frame <br>Remove the windowpanes <br>The wind could blow this house away <br>Erase the phrases out of place </p>
<p>My faith, my heart rose to the wind <br>And I don’t know where it will lead me <br>I don’t know where to begin <br>But I’ll take my chances just to find a firmer foundation </p>
<p>And if I don’t belong here in this place <br>Let the walls give way; they can’t keep me safe <br>And if the words are wrong, find out what’s fake <br>Throw it away to the wind and start again </p>
<p>Let the walls give way <br>Let the walls give way <br>Backspace what’s fake, throw it away <br>They can’t keep me safe <br>I’ll hold to my faith and find a new way <br>I’ll find a new way </p>
<p>And if I don’t belong here in this place <br>Let the walls give way; they can’t keep me safe <br>And if the words are wrong, find out what’s fake <br>Throw it away to the wind and start again </p>
<p>And if I don’t belong here in this place <br>Throw it away to the wind and start again <br>And if the words are wrong, find out what’s fake <br>Throw it away to the wind and start again </p>
<p>Throw it away to the wind and start again</p>
<h3>6. Take The Sky</h3>
<p>Taken hostage from skies where I once flew <br>My heart is chained and my wings removed <br>Tethered to the earth, taking undesired root <br>The heavy, fettered birth from seed to bitter fruit </p>
<p>For my wings I wait in the silence <br>Keeping my eyes trained on the horizon <br>When they bloom from me, I’ll fly away <br>I’ll take the sky, I’ll take the sky today </p>
<p>Sever the ties, the stitches that they used <br>To bind me down, to serve the ground <br>I’m ready now <br>For my wings to bloom </p>
<p>For my wings I wait in the silence <br>Keeping my eyes trained on the horizon <br>When they bloom from me, I’ll fly away <br>I’ll take the sky, I’ll take the sky today </p>
<p>Fly away </p>
<p>Run, and fall, and rise again <br>For no fall is ever the end <br>Lift me up to where I belong <br>Let the weak say “I am strong” </p>
<p>For my wings I wait in the silence <br>Keeping my eyes trained on the horizon <br>When they bloom from me, I’ll fly away <br>I’ll take the sky, I’ll take the sky today </p>
<p>No imprisonment to circumstance <br>Hope is endless <br>No destiny but liberty <br>Convalesce </p>
<p>Sever the ties, the stitches that they used <br>To bind me down, I’m ready now <br>To fly away</p>
<h3>7. The Locust Season</h3>
<p>Release the lamentation, the anguish in a burning lung <br>For all the devastation that’s only just begun <br>The mandibles of sorrow have come to drag away the world <br>The season of the locust, the sickly skyward swirl </p>
<p>So never let my spirit break; We will begin again <br>Never let my spirit break, and I’ll embrace the end <br>Never let my spirit break; We will begin again <br>Never let my spirit break, and I’ll embrace the end </p>
<p>Provoke the day of darkness; The ancient hand strikes the field <br>The army comes devouring, reversing Eden’s yield <br>So gather all the people whose hope has still survived <br>The day for dreams to come alive has arrived </p>
<p>So never let my spirit break; We will begin again <br>Never let my spirit break, and I’ll embrace the end <br>Never let my spirit break; We will begin again <br>Never let my spirit break, and I’ll embrace the end </p>
<p>When the world is wrapped in dread wonder <br>Brother, sister, just look up <br>Don’t be fearful when you hear the thunder <br>Blood and fire means it’s only just begun </p>
<p>As the sun goes dark it truly seems <br>That the whole world’s sight’s gone blind <br>But the sons and daughters dream their dreams <br>For they know that it is time <br>And the locust season sinks its teeth <br>Into every faithless mind <br>But the children dream their father’s dream <br>For they know that it is time </p>
<p>Never let my spirit break; We will begin again <br>Never let my spirit break, and I’ll embrace the end <br>Never let my spirit break; We will begin again <br>Never let my spirit break, and I’ll embrace the end</p>
<h3>8. Nail</h3>
<p>Don’t you know just what you’re made of? <br>Child I see you there <br>Regretting all you couldn’t be <br>A fearful wonder when you wake up <br>‘Cause you were unaware <br>That you have a destiny </p>
<p>Nail the lid shut on your past <br>The casket for your doubts <br>Who you're meant to be is yours for finding out </p>
<p>Don’t be satisfied with a compromise <br>When you realize that you’re worth so much more <br>Don’t be scared to try; raise your colours high <br>If you don’t then I’m afraid you’ll never know </p>
<p>You’re a child of eternity <br>Seen by Divine eyes <br>Bought by sacrifice <br>And led into the light </p>
<p>Nail your colours to the mast <br>And let the whole world know <br>You’re not scared to face the danger on your own </p>
<p>Don’t be satisfied with a compromise <br>When you realize that you’re worth so much more <br>Don’t be scared to try, raise your colours high <br>If you don’t then I’m afraid you’ll never know </p>
<p>Someday you will wake, and you won’t run away </p>
<p>Don’t be satisfied with a compromise <br>When you realize that you’re worth so much more <br>Don’t be scared to try, raise your colours high <br>If you don’t then I’m afraid you’ll never know</p>
<h3>9. Burning In My Mind</h3>
<p>Show me my hubris and my abuses <br>All my excuses become elusive <br>Another broken vow today <br>Another price I couldn’t pay <br>Another nail in hands that save <br>I let my promise break </p>
<p>Oh, it’s burning in my mind <br>How I can’t face all my mistakes or bring them to the light <br>No, I’m running out of time <br>And I can’t face my judgment day if I can’t make this right </p>
<p>My mind’s a ruthless internal Judas <br>This voice abuses, tells me I’m useless <br>Another hour wastes away <br>Another selfish word to say <br>Another nail in hands that save <br>I let my promise break </p>
<p>Oh, it’s burning in my mind <br>How I can’t face all my mistakes or bring them to the light <br>No, I’m running out of time <br>And I can’t face my judgment day if I can’t make this right </p>
<p>It’s time to go; terror grips my throat <br>Death calls, I know just why the bell tolls <br>I stand alone at the judgment throne <br>Guilt breaks these bones <br>There’s no way that I could atone </p>
<p>Oh, it’s burning in my mind <br>How I can’t face all my mistakes or bring them to the light <br>No, I’m running out of time <br>And I can’t face my judgment day if I can’t make this right </p>
<p>Oh, I can’t believe my eyes <br>But I’ve seen grace replace mistakes with perfect sacrifice <br>And though I fall a thousand times <br>I will remain to rise again and stand to face the light</p>
<h3>10. Red Sky</h3>
<p>Burning, oh the sky is burning <br>Holy red lights dazzling this judgment day <br>Yearning, I can feel the yearning <br>Of the lawless jaws that long to carry me away </p>
<p>Light, erase this age </p>
<p>Scarlet lights - the sky’s so blinding <br>I’m ready for the foe that finds me <br>Watching all the world unwinding now <br>Crumbling down <br>Scarlet lights - the end is nearing <br>See the signs that you’ve been fearing <br>Blood for a world running weary now <br>All around </p>
<p>Watching the world unravelling <br>The earth begins to sing itself to sleep <br>Slumber for this perishing age <br>But come and wake the graves <br>Empty graves, greet the morning </p>
<p>Come awake </p>
<p>O Behold! <br>The end inaugurates a new forever <br>Baptize it in blood <br>And let the world rise up in flames <br>Come hell and high Heaven <br>Let light erase this age </p>
<p>Erase this age </p>
<p>Scarlet lights - the sky’s so blinding <br>I’m ready for the foe that finds me <br>Watching all the world unwinding now <br>Crumbling down <br>Scarlet lights - the end is nearing <br>Open hearts no longer fearing <br>Blood for a world running weary now <br>All around </p>
<p>Look to the red skies</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/57857452019-06-09T19:10:25-04:002023-12-10T11:40:37-05:00A Fearful Wonder is out now!<h3>Our new album - the first ever full-length - is out now on all major distribution platforms.</h3>
<p>Use <a contents="this link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/AFearfulWonder" target="_blank">this link</a> to find the music on your favorite major distributor.</p>
<p>We also whipped up a little live video for "To The Wind" using cellphone footage from various audience members at our CD release show last Wednesday in Toronto! Consider this a way to relive and enjoy the night for those who were not able to attend!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="lqSHz4bAmS4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/lqSHz4bAmS4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lqSHz4bAmS4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Big thanks to everyone who attended the show and all those who have been listening to "A Fearful Wonder" so far! Expect to hear from us more often as we enter this new era for our band!</p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>
<p> </p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/57698952019-05-27T13:35:10-04:002022-05-24T13:10:22-04:00To The Wind | A Fearful Wonder<p>Wow, where have we been? As it turns out, we have been hard at work putting together a lot of content for you, which is why we've been absent from this blog for a bit too long! No worries though, we are back, and with a vengeance at that.</p>
<p>First things first, as you may have gathered from our social media presence, we have released a music video for our new song To The Wind, a progressive funky pop metal (!?!?) song that represents a lot of our new direction and sound. You can listen to the song on any of your preferred platforms <a contents="at this link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/ToTheWind" target="_blank">at this link</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="jPhg_iAiquw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/jPhg_iAiquw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jPhg_iAiquw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>To The Wind is the lead single from our upcoming full-length album, <em>A Fearful Wonder</em>. We have been working on this album since 2016 (and some of the songs since way earlier than that!) and it has finally come to fruition. Co-produced by us, and mixed/mastered by <a contents="Stephen James Kerr " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sjkaudio.com" target="_blank">Stephen James Kerr</a> (Afterwake, Golden Gate Graves, BamBoo), <em>A Fearful Wonder</em> is our first full-length album and a statement of our identity as a band. It's a huge accomplishment for us because Max (our lead singer) has been out of the country for the majority of the last three years, and we produced this album together over the internet. Google Drive might as well be another band member! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/fe4dd0508846507d6087cc3bc2d15d3c21105cd4/original/afearfulwondercover.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_xl justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/44c50edd1ce55da48f3797b4fbbca9df86aa9074/original/59859831-2220681578180967-6524597145633292288-n.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_xl justify_center border_" />A Fearful Wonder releases worldwide on <strong>June 7, 2019</strong>!</p>
<p>On top of that, for those who want to hear some of our new songs a couple days early, we will be having our CD release show 2 days before the drop, on June 5, 2019, at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. We will be joined by the Windsor shoe gaze dream team <a contents="Talking Violet" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/KOiXkxu_RpQ">Talking Violet</a>, our Toronto djentlemen <a contents="Afterwake" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/wjn8l2rzyww">Afterwake</a>, and Mississauga legends <a contents="Polarity" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/Hp6ntQkL9kE">Polarity</a>. </p>
<p>We are eager to see our hometown friends at this show and to celebrate one of our biggest milestones yet as a band. You'll be hearing more information about the new album very soon as we get closer and closer to release date.</p>
<p>See you at the show!</p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/54126242018-09-02T17:02:58-04:002022-05-10T07:00:11-04:00KozenCast: The Making of Swimming To The Stars<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/9a54fc3c743180b0ce9de37b850f6d77f0e312a6/original/kyron-kit-stts.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_left border_" /></p>
<p>We're back with the podcast! Starting this fall we are going to be doing a series walking through our double EP <em>Swimming To The Stars</em>, breaking down both the process that went into creating it as well as exploring the meanings of some of these songs. Max is the main host, but you'll hear from the other band members periodically as well. This introductory episode quickly recaps the journey that led up to the creation of both Swimming To The Stars <em>and</em> how that project created a band out of a solo project. The following episodes will explore each song in more detail, with clips from recording sessions, early demos, and more. </p>
<p>Creativity is a seemingly endless pursuit. The very nature of it is unpredictable and exciting. But having a creative drive can be a curse too: in the best of times, it can leave us frustrated when our vision proves more difficult to achieve than to dream, and at the worst of times, a creative or artistic mind can leave some people vulnerable and hyper sensitive to darker or more stressful emotional triggers. Some artists feel <em>everything</em> acutely. And sometimes, the stress comes when we feel a need to create, and have things we want to express, but can't seem to put a finger on what <em>exactly</em> those things are. Artists are often seeking for the intangible - to make meaning and sense out of otherwise seemingly random events in life.</p>
<p>Our goal with this podcast is to give a window into how our music has served as a way to process real events and feelings, and hopefully inspire other creatives to find new ways to synthesize their experiences and transform them into more art.</p>
<p> </p>28:05KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/51611562018-04-08T20:11:20-04:002021-07-23T08:02:10-04:00Crown Lands - KozenCast Premier Episode<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/b1a7713c2a58dcb802c21923c0b3f62ebd90716d/original/max-and-crown-lands-2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></p>
<p>Max sits down with Cody Bowles and Kevin Comeau at a local venue in Oshawa, ON to chat about their band Crown Lands. Topics include songwriting inspirations, Indigenous people's history in Canada, cognitive dissonance as Canadians from minority ethnic backgrounds, progressive music, "selling out", and more!</p>
<p>Check out Crown Lands - their <a contents="new music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://crownlands.bandcamp.com" target="_self">new music</a> and <a contents="latest video" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da56XruhzmE" target="_self">latest video</a>.</p>
<p> </p>58:59KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/51710832018-04-08T20:08:56-04:002022-04-16T04:52:58-04:00KozenCast<p>We're here announcing the debut of KozenCast - the new podcast by our band about everybody else's band. We're going to be having conversations with our musical peers about spirituality, philosophy, faith, experience, and how that all fits within music culture. This short intro episode gives some background on the idea behind this podcast, and we will shortly be posting our first full-length episode.</p>
<p>We're looking forward to seeing where this show takes us. </p>5:22KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/49919622017-12-25T16:59:43-05:002021-11-19T20:31:15-05:00Our Favorite Albums<p>2017 is coming to an end and as is often the case, we're listing some of our favourite music that came out this year. This year has been pretty rad, and while we certainly didn't hear everything, we might have caught a few great releases that you might have missed for whatever reason. We're not going to rank these in any particular order; you can decide on the best for yourself.</p>
<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/maxwellkozen/playlist/1IhdUjk8g9lDbbwiHmlAQc" width="300"></iframe></p>
<ul> <li>Fleshkiller - "Awaken"</li> <li>SZA - "Ctrl"</li> <li>Jamiroquai - "Automaton"</li> <li>Goldfrapp - "Silver Eye"</li> <li>Linkin Park - "One More Light Live"</li> <li>Ruth B. - "Safe Haven"</li> <li>Volumes - "Different Animals"</li> <li>Zao - "Pyrrhic Vctory"</li> <li>Demon Hunter - "Ovtlive"</li> <li>Death Therapy - "The Storm Before The Calm"</li> <li>Kehlani - "SweetSexySavage"</li> <li>Veil of Maya - “False Idols” </li> <li>He Is Legend - “few” </li> <li>Wizkid - “Sounds From The Other Side” </li> <li>Hillsong United - “Wonder” </li> <li>Lecrae - “All Things Work Together” </li> <li>Crown Lands - “Rise Over Run” </li> <li>Romancer - “Honeybee” </li> <li>Bird Problems - “TAR” </li> <li>Afterwake - “TIL”</li>
</ul>
<p><a contents="Check out our Spotify playlist with selections from sone of the coolest releases from this year, including some of our friends." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/user/maxwellkozen/playlist/1IhdUjk8g9lDbbwiHmlAQc">Check out our Spotify playlist with selections from sone of the coolest releases from this year, including some of our friends.</a></p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/49397372017-11-19T15:45:02-05:002021-03-11T19:26:26-05:00Our epic musical peers<p>I wanted to do something a little different and feature some of our musical peers on this blog. Only a little over halfway through the month of November and we've already seen the release of some remarkable new music. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/66fff565163cb53a42bc1ab9576994fc59f8545b/original/tar.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Bird Problems:</strong></p>
<p>We had the pleasure of sharing the stage with these guys in Montreal back in July. Imagine Protest The Hero meets jazzy prog stuff, all executed flawlessly live. That's Bird Problems, and their new album TAR is killer. <a contents="Check it out here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://birdproblems.bandcamp.com/album/tar" target="_blank"><u>Check it out here</u></a>. </p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/c4266ccc7172b605ead42da02f3b567b20607485/original/til.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>AfterWake:</strong></p>
<p>We've been aware of these guys for a while now, and their 'Alive' EP from last year was stellar. Their newest release, TIL, continues the trend of excellence and goes into heavier, <em>proggier</em>, and more musically captivating territory than before. <a contents="Check it out here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://afterwake.bandcamp.com" target="_blank"><u>Check it out here</u></a>. </p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/4a707aacc9f6fe6860d897b1c4dad360918cd275/original/rebelle.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Rebelle:</strong></p>
<p>We're looking forward to sharing the stage with these Quebec heroes in less than a week. More on the experimental indie side, they're already making waves with their newest EP. Their take on their subgenre is fresh and invigorating. <a contents="Check it out here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://indie88.com/indie88-premiere-rebelle-share-hide-ep/" target="_blank"><u>Check it out here.</u></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>So there is is! We've just massively improved your playlist for the foreseeable future. Make sure to check out all these bands. And don't forget to check the <a contents="shows section of this site" data-link-label="Shows" data-link-type="page" href="/shows" target="_blank">shows section of this site</a> for more details on the upcoming show with Rebelle. </p>
<p>Peace and love 'till next time,</p>
<p>Max</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/49067092017-10-25T21:03:42-04:002022-05-10T07:00:01-04:00November November the 9th of Remember<p>I think I wrote that wrong. But anyhow!</p>
<p>We have some shows coming up. First, we'll be at <strong>Cherry Cola's</strong> in Toronto on November 9 for <em>Indie Week</em>. We'll be joined by <strong>The Velvet Supersloths</strong>, <strong>Vinyl Hero</strong>, <strong>Slow Death Lights</strong>, <strong>Body Spray</strong>, <strong>Moon Tan</strong>, and possibly a few others TBD. </p>
<p>We're headlining the showcase and actually playing <em>first</em>, so be there at 8pm and catch us doing a mix of old and new songs! </p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/b6fc64b5a9ab609d07c3201761b76746030cc923/medium/indie-week.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/a2c1fbfbae0d138872832fb77933bf85a32168d7/medium/cherry-cola-show.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>We'll also be playing at the end of the month in Guelph alongside Quebec Indie rockers <strong>Rebelle</strong>, That show, presented by KronikNoise, will be taking place at <strong>Van Gogh's Ear</strong>. More bands will be announced for that show soon too.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/46a6111f5136d9ecd66342b752e5a53fdcec763c/original/22791877-1786409588057955-4744921148590634547-o.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We're looking forward to playing some new material around Toronto that has only been heard a few times. More information will be forthcoming soon about the new songs we've been premiering over the last little while. For now, come out to the a show and hear us play. We're eager to see and meet anyone who's willing to take the time to come hang out.</p>
<p>In the new year, this website will be seeing some new kinds of content becoming available. Most likely, anyhow. More on that to come. In the meantime, get ready for these shows.</p>
<p>Peace and love,</p>
<p>KOZEN</p>
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<p> </p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/47277702017-05-30T20:37:58-04:002017-05-30T20:37:58-04:00Kozen Summer 2017 Canadian Tour!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/136d16b405f5a2dd6b7fea835a3992d74aa520a1/original/kozen-wtf-tour-poster.jpg?1496190974" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It's our pleasure to announce that we will be hitting the road in July for a short run of shows in Southern Ontario and Quebec. We will be joined by We Throw Flowers, an awesome Experimental Hardcore band from Quebec. Together, we're hitting seven Canadian cities and bringing you the best concert experience of your summer. </p>
<p>We'll have more information for you within the next couple weeks, and we'll have all the relevant show info for every city listed in the SHOWS section of this website. Stay tuned, and we hope to see you when we come to your city!</p>
<p>-KOZEN</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/46500892017-03-29T10:17:53-04:002022-04-18T09:09:38-04:00SHIRTS!Guess what folks? We finally have T-Shirts coming in! Designs based on <em>Swimming To The Stars</em> are now in!!<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/5316e479b6ef70671dd3b327ca2fb498ccc6184e/original/17500571-10212225368370365-1555343657-o.jpg?1490796997" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>We're going to be selling them at shows, and we will hopefully have them available on our online store soon too - first for Canada, and then also for US shipping. We'll keep you posted as they become available for purchase.<br><br>Come see us rock with Polarity on April 8, 2017 - Reel Music Festival!!<br><br>-KOZENKOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/46295072017-03-14T14:03:44-04:002022-05-08T22:01:47-04:00REEL MUSIC FESTIVAL<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/9c1cf1dfcfa844f951043c7b9feabc22c38550bf/original/reel-music-festival.png?1489514563" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>We are pleased to announce (although it has popped up in our "SHOWS" section on this site) that we will be playing Reel Music Festival on April 8th in Oshawa! We're stoked to be able to play alongside some new friends in Howl Said The Wolf, cleopatrick, and to rejoin our good friends Polarity on stage.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/10cf8c5ffb203c39477eb417caf0bc2408064088/original/rmf-rocklineup.png?1490724812" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Below we'll list the entire lineup for RMF. We're going to be on the Rock showcase. See you there!</p><!-- more -->
<p>RMF is proud to announce its 2017 Showcase lineup. </p>
<p>** <u><strong>POP SHOWCASE</strong></u> ** </p>
<p>Friday April 7, 2017 - 7PM <br>EP Taylor's - 12 Founders Dr. Oshawa, ON. <br>All Ages / 19+ <br>$10 at the door <br>$25 All Access Passes available </p>
<p>RSVP - https://www.facebook.com/events/228754764263137/ </p>
<p>** Featuring ** </p>
<p>Panicland | Pop | Winnipeg, MB. <br>http://www.panicland.net/ </p>
<p>Sarah Mark | Pop | Toronto, ON. <br>https://www.facebook.com/SarahMarkMusic/ </p>
<p>Brandan Anthony | Rap | Oshawa, ON. <br>https://soundcloud.com/brandananthonymusic/ </p>
<p>Cam Bogle | Pop / R&B | Burlington, ON. <br>@CamBogle </p>
<p>Gabby Harvey | R&B | Brampton, ON. <br>@ItsGabbyHarvey </p>
<p>** <strong><u>PUNK SHOWCASE</u> </strong>** </p>
<p>Friday April 7, 2017 - 8:30PM <br>The Atria - 59. King St E, Oshawa, ON. <br>19+ </p>
<p>RSVP - https://www.facebook.com/events/624209907769264/ </p>
<p>** Featuring ** </p>
<p>Matlock Expressway | Pop Punk | Oshawa, ON <br>https://www.facebook.com/MatlockExpresswayBand/ </p>
<p>Excuses Excuses | Punk Rock | Oshawa, ON. <br>http://www.excusesexcuses.ca/ </p>
<p>Sight By City | Pop Punk | Pickering, ON. <br>https://www.facebook.com/sightbycity/ </p>
<p>**<strong> <u>ROCK SHOWCASE</u></strong> ** </p>
<p>Saturday, April 8, 2017 - 7:00PM <br>EP Taylor's - 12 Founders Dr. Oshawa, ON. <br>All Ages / 19+ </p>
<p>RSVP - https://www.facebook.com/events/1176323485800386/ </p>
<p>** Featuring ** </p>
<p>Polarity | Prog Rock | Mississauga, ON. <br>http://polaritymusic.com/ </p>
<p>KOZEN | Hard Rock | Toronto, ON. <br>http://kozen.org/ </p>
<p>Howl Said The Wolves | Hard Rock | Guelph, ON. <br>https://www.facebook.com/HowlSaidTheWolves/ </p>
<p>cleopatrick | Blues Rock | Coburg, ON. <br>https://cleopatrick.com/ </p>
<p>** <strong><u>METAL SHOWCASE</u> </strong>** </p>
<p>Saturday, April 8, 2017 <br>Venue TBA </p>
<p>RSVP - https://www.facebook.com/events/710203542484657/ </p>
<p>** Featuring ** </p>
<p>Ending Tyranny | Metalcore | Brantford, ON. <br>https://www.facebook.com/EndingTyranny/ </p>
<p>Throne to the Wolves | Metalcore | Oshawa, ON. <br>http://www.thronetothewolves.band/ </p>
<p>Her Majesty The King | Metalcore | Toronto, ON <br>https://www.facebook.com/HerMajestyTheKing/ </p>
<p>Becomes Astral | Death Metal | Guelph, ON. <br>https://www.facebook.com/BecomesAstral/</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/45931042017-02-16T10:17:16-05:002019-12-11T22:35:21-05:00The Buzz about BarricadeHey y'all, Max here and I've got a bunch of fun things to update on. You've probably caught this already if you've seen our social media, but we've been getting some air play for #BARRICADE on various online radio stations - a couple in North America, and a handful in the UK. So a big shout out to <a contents="The Pit Radio Show/Metal Nation Radio" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://metalnationradio.com">The Pit Radio Show/Metal Nation Radio</a>, <a contents="EGH Radio" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.eghradio.com">EGH Radio</a>, <a contents="Metal Mayhem" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.metalmeyhemradio.com">Metal Mayhem</a> and <a contents="Radio WigWam" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.radiowigwam.co.uk">Radio WigWam</a>. You'll see some of the promo material below. <br><br>We've also recently been covered by PureGrainAudio - who <a contents="shared our music video on their site" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://puregrainaudio.com/videos/toronto-band-kozen-are-swimming-to-the-stars-with-barricade-music-video">shared our music video on their site</a>. They also broke the news that we have been working on new material, which is a greatly exciting announcement for us to make. More details will be forthcoming in the near future as we continue to work on our new material. I'm stoked for all the happenings going on with our band right now, and truly grateful for all the people who have been involved - especially those of you who listen to our music.<br><br>Make sure to come through in Toronto on March 10 to catch us playing with HOSHI FURU, ODD ONES, and THE PARALLAX. We'll have physical CDs available for purchase!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/67084be5775b06386b880fc2f535391905a20879/original/barricade-radio-play-1.png?1487257705" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br> KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/45707212017-01-31T14:20:29-05:002022-07-31T16:15:43-04:00Update for January 2017!Hey everyone! We've successfully made it through the first month of 2017, and we were privileged to have the chance to play a gig at the place that is basically "home base" for us - The Atria in Oshawa, ON. It was awesome to play alongside five other amazing bands - Coach Bombay, Tailors of Mayhem, Excuses Exceuses, Poeta, and We Were Sharks! It was a pleasure to share the stage with them all, and to meet a bunch of cool new people. We also appreciated seeing so many people coming out to the show; it was encouraging to play to a full room!<br><br>We have some exciting things on the way for you...<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/e3e01ada79a975e8b2181d0ed915b14939eb26e8/large/atria-jan-2017.jpg?1485890005" class="size_xl justify_center border_" /><!-- more --><p><br>The next little while will see us taking some time to work on new material. Those of you who have come to our shows in late 2016 and early 2017 have heard us playing one new song - <em>Waveway </em>- which has not yet been released. We have other material in the works, and we will be letting you know about that stuff in due time. Stay tuned to us online and you'll get updates as soon as they become available.<br><br>Can't wait to share the next step in our journey with you!<br><br>-KOZEN</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/45502042017-01-14T12:52:37-05:002017-01-14T12:52:37-05:00The Hard Luck Bar - March 10!We're set for a great show with some really cool bands at the Hard Luck Bar on March 10! Check the event page on this site for more details. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/2828c919720bfa4de807e5a437a2e79bc534f694/original/odd-ones-hard-luck.jpg?1484416344" class="size_l justify_center border_" />KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/45265202016-12-26T23:24:20-05:002016-12-26T23:25:06-05:00We Were Sharks!<p>Merry Christmas people! We have a Christmas present for you!! </p>
<p>Next month we are going to be opening for the incredible guys in <strong>We Were Sharks</strong> & <strong>Poeta</strong>, alongside <strong>Excuses Excuses</strong>, <strong>Tailors of Mayhem</strong> & <strong>Coach Bombay</strong>. </p>
<p>This is happening at <strong>THE ATRIA</strong> in <strong>Oshawa</strong> on J<strong>anuary 28</strong>! Only $10. </p>
<p>RSVP Here! - https://www.facebook.com/events/261707874248353/<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/15e9f531c3063303370421e945935e457408dd90/original/we-were-sharks-poeta.jpg?1482812620" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/44795452016-11-22T14:40:03-05:002023-12-10T11:55:06-05:00BARRICADE<p>So thrilled to announce our first music video as a band, for our new single <em>BARRICADE</em>. Directed by <a contents="The Trenches Media" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thetrenchesmedia.com">The Trenches Media</a>.<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PdEMRRLFnO0" width="560"></iframe><br>Download the song from our bandcamp page.<br><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=2630217458/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://kozen.bandcamp.com/track/barricade" href="http://kozen.bandcamp.com/track/barricade">Barricade by KOZEN</a></iframe></p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/44355952016-10-25T00:44:46-04:002022-02-23T12:56:52-05:00Nov 20 with Her Majesty The King<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/e86a3f78629eb75d62a351befeff610873a3b3f2/original/her-majesty-show.jpg?1477370326" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Our show schedule for November keeps getting more and more exciting. We now have 3 shows booked alongside our brothers in <strong>By The Blood</strong>, the latest addition actually being the soonest! November 20 at <strong>The Smiling Buddha</strong>, opening for hardcore heroes <strong>Her Majesty The King</strong>. We'll also be joined by our awesomely rad friends from <strong>Lights In The Valley</strong>, who we played alongside when we opened for <strong>Polarity</strong>! This show is presented by Coronado Music. <br><br>We'll have some more very exciting news coming your way soon, so stay tuned!KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/44198472016-10-14T18:03:16-04:002022-03-17T06:56:14-04:00Nov 25 with KINK<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/9b367fd66eb7f4d754851d771315e830dab4fd22/original/kink-show-nov25.jpg?1476482583" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>We are stoked to announce that we'll be once again sharing the stage with our very punk rock sisters in KINK. We had the pleasure of playing with their earlier this year in our first show with CURSES at Wasted Space in Oshawa. KINK has recently been dropping all kinds of music video goodness, so make sure to check their stuff out before the show!<br><br>We'll also be joined by Anthems In Ashes and By The Blood, so the night promises to be a memorable alternative music experience. We'll be premiering playing some previously unused songs from our repertoire for the first time, so you're in for a treat.<br><br>More news coming your way soon. KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/44030242016-10-04T09:59:45-04:002023-12-10T12:05:50-05:00Nov 26 with POLARITY!We are stoked to announce that we'll be once again performing alongside our amazing friends in <strong>Polarity</strong>, alongside our brothers in <strong>By The Blood</strong>, as well as <strong>Burn Atlantis</strong>, and <strong>Zealots Desire</strong>. We'll be playing our new single, and may be also playing some material from <em>Swimming To The Stars</em> that we've never played before! We'll be announcing more shows soon as well!
<p>Sat, Nov 26 @ 7:00 PM<br>Doors @ 7pm | 10$ Cover | All Ages <br>The Rehearsal Factory 1611 Finfar Court, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 4K1<br>https://www.facebook.com/events/1125777410834938/</p><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/2a19d365fc7ff0d58b055b057c3fbce8d4e7a0a6/original/polarity-saugashow.jpg?1475588759" class="size_l justify_center border_" />KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/43250742016-08-15T00:20:52-04:002021-03-13T12:53:07-05:00Recording a new single!<p>From July 26 to 29 we were in studio with producer extraordinaire <strong>Justin Meli</strong>, recording a new single! There will be more info on the track released soon: suffice it to say that this is one of the most high-energy songs we've ever done as a band. This is also an exciting track for us because it is the first song to be recorded with our new drummer, <strong>Jared Leal</strong>. </p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/a1963bf1df00c4d411c6abe654612f4f2d4f40f7/original/2016-07-27-12-19-23.jpg?1471235836" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><!-- more --><p>We also had the pleasure of working with some of the best gear we've ever had on deck as a band. Thanks to Austin Nolan from our local Long & McQuade, we got to record on a whole bunch of dope guitars, with really great amps and cabs at our disposal. He even lent us his amazing skills as a technician and set up all our guitars while we recorded. This is going to be some of the best guitar tone you've ever heard out of <strong>KOZEN</strong>. By the way, did we mention that we've playing in Drop A on 7-string guitars now?<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/3db1d1a1d0a8963b7beedbb1bab33ed7f33923a1/original/img-1067.jpg?1471234171" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/b5b28f3e7c213b5cc9e403b0ab09e26a30f601a9/original/img-1075.jpg?1471234184" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>After mixing and mastering are done, you'll see a lot more from us about this single. A big shout out to all the people who have helped make this song happen; we can't wait to share it with the world.<br><br>In the meantime, check out some of Justin Meli's other production work for our good friends in <a contents="CROWN LANDS" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://crownlands.bandcamp.com/releases"><strong>CROWN LANDS</strong></a>. Their EP drops this month.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/336830a4676db2c342434f7977fa75a7ffbdf1cd/original/2016-07-28-12-35-27-1.jpg?1471235824" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/18c4acf0a78be6c66aa2c0e28c57d298016f6dcc/original/2016-07-28-12-34-20.jpg?1471235823" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/91ae58f1e630c5fc41895f259209923db775c6ea/original/2016-07-28-19-33-05-1.jpg?1471353864" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/0933644286802212658f506e0f72b9cc89bbfd1f/original/2016-07-26-20-52-40.jpg?1471235820" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br><br> </p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/43085662016-08-03T17:15:20-04:002022-02-23T13:47:57-05:00Static Prevails show - Oshawa<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/ff5f5ea16f4bdfe6084f88562e686fe86a73e9c3/original/static-prevails-tour.jpg?1470258617" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Tomorrow we'll be playing alongside <strong>V FOR MANIA</strong> and opening up for <strong>NO KING FOR COUNTRYMEN</strong> and <strong>STATIC PREVAILS</strong>. This is an exciting show for us, kicking off their VERAX EP release tour. And we're playing a new song, which we will be releasing soon as a single. We're still amped from our show last week with <strong>Polarity</strong>, which was absolutely killer.<br><br>After this show, the dynamic in our band is going to be changing drastically. But you'll hear more on that later. For now, let's rock.<br><br>-MKKOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/42722792016-07-10T14:38:01-04:002023-12-10T14:10:56-05:00CURSES show at SNEAKY DEES<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/b2e7b64a3f987216b2d58621430112f581c456b8/original/curses-kozen-sneakydees-long.jpg?1468175647" class="size_l justify_center border_" />We are once again going to be opening for CURSES! Sneaky Dees is an awesome venue and we're so excited to be playing there alongside some awesome local talent,<br>We have also taken on new management in the form of Coronado Music Co. Our dude Brett has been awesome in getting us onto some great shows. <br>Come out to Sneaky Dees on July 22! We're the first band, so be there early!<br><br>Get your tickets in advance here: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1235803?utm_medium=bks<br> KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/42378612016-06-19T13:32:02-04:002022-07-26T05:34:40-04:00Opening for Polarity!!<p>Last month we opened up for the amazing Toronto act CURSES and our cool new friends in KINK at Wasted Space. </p>And now, we're stoked to be on the bill for another awesome show in Oshawa, ON! We'll be opening for prog masters POLARITY and playing alongside some other rad local acts - Lights In The Valley and Tailors of Mayhem.<br><br>This is going to be an exciting show for us so if you can be in the area, don't miss this!!<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/1ff02db537d9229052d2953d2301f3799c8d5916/original/polarity-kozen-show-atria.jpg?1466357179" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br> KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/41552112016-04-26T21:55:40-04:002016-04-26T22:02:56-04:00Swimming To The Stars A & B are here!You can now listen to Swimming To The Stars parts A & B in full, and download them from Bandcamp. Side A emphasizes loudness, energy, and distortion while Side B showcases the gentler singer-songwriter element within the band.<br><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3725436077/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=9a64ff/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 400px; height: 340px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://kozen.bandcamp.com/album/swimming-to-the-stars-a" href="http://kozen.bandcamp.com/album/swimming-to-the-stars-a">Swimming To The Stars (A) by KOZEN</a></iframe><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3709570470/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 400px; height: 340px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://kozen.bandcamp.com/album/swimming-to-the-stars-b" href="http://kozen.bandcamp.com/album/swimming-to-the-stars-b">Swimming To The Stars (B) by KOZEN</a></iframe>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/41202742016-04-04T18:18:11-04:002017-01-16T12:06:07-05:00Album Art: Swimming To The Stars<p>The artwork for Swimming To The Stars is officially here. Done by the exceptionally talented Tyler Dooks, we took a while to brainstorm together and he created a lot of really cool variant ideas before we settled on the final ones.</p><!-- more -->
<p><br><br>I wanted something simple that would reflect the major themes and imagery of the project. Overall the album has a "lighter" emotional tone to it, so I didn't want anything super dark. Side A - however, is the heavier, rockier portion of the project, so we chose darker colours for the central emblem. Likewise, Side B - being the softer, more ballad-driven portion, has a lighter tone to it. The circle is comprised partially of sea and sky, waves and stars, reflecting language from a few of the songs. The grey stripes in the background represent impartial and imperfect light, reflecting a journey through cloudiness, uncertainty, and the undefined. This again reflects on the albums lyrical themes, but also on stylistic ambiguity of the project overall. There is not one "genre" that this fits inside of squarely.<br><br>Stoked to re-release this into the world - of course, with a few new songs as well.<br><br>-Max</p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/4c42b28a01eee64e3cdf561e05df8622ed815c53/original/covera.jpg?0" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/197110/97f2c3ace90fbaa0f5c81e55694638bfc6dfa8c8/original/coverb.jpg?0" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br> KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/40853662016-03-12T19:41:20-05:002022-04-30T07:24:43-04:00No Orphan Music Video<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H2a56jQH9Gg" width="560"></iframe><br><br>The music video for <em>No Orphan</em> was shot a significantly long time after the release of the song itself - about half a year later. Subsequent edits would take a long time as well, leading to the release of the music video over a year after the initial release of the song. Still, it proved worthwhile as the video does have a distinctive feel to it, and we got to shoot in an awesome location.</p><!-- more -->
<p><br><br>I was working in Kenya at the time, and during my Christmas and New Year holidays, I got to go with some of my co-workers to a resort on the east coast of Kenya, right on the Indian Ocean. This spot ended up being the location for half of the music video, the rest of the footage being shot right on the campus where we worked.<br><br>These water scenes were a challenge to film mostly because of how early in the morning it was. I woke JD (the camera man) up at 5am sharp, before the sun had started to rise. We walked down to the beach and began shooting me against the sunrise. The shots ended up being beautiful enough to not really need much editing.<br><br>Another challenge with these shots was that the water was <em>filled</em> with sea urchins. This was fine when we were out swimming a little bit deeper - it was easy to avoid them. But while standing, I had to be careful not to thrash around too much or step too hard in the wrong place. One false move would have landed me a foot full of spines.<br><br>We had initially planned to have more of a plot in this video. We had planned out a sequence following a young girl and a supernatural antagonist who was trying to get her to give in to her fears. Ultimately we ended up not having enough time to shoot those scenes, and the final edit of the video had to introduce drama in a new, and simpler way.<br><br>The upside-down shots ended up being symbolic of being in darkness and confusion, and as the song progresses towards the bridge, the video progresses towards sunrise - at which point the world is righted. It represents patience and assurance in one's identity while waiting through times of disorientation. <br><br>Considering how low budget this video was, I'm amazed at how it turned out. With any luck this won't be the last music video for KOZEN.</p>KOZENtag:www.kozen.org,2005:Post/40733622016-03-04T16:31:23-05:002022-05-20T02:55:10-04:00Enter the new blog!Well, it happened. There's finally an official website. And with that comes a new blog. I'm eager to retire an old blog I used to have on wordpress, and very excited to have this new one here on my own site!<br><br>You can expect to see blogs on all kinds of topics including music & reviews, religion & spirituality, philosophy, social issues, personal anecdotes, band stories, song explanations, and who knows what other kinds of things! Until then, hop onto that mailing list and stay tuned for what's next. KOZEN