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While far too many progressive and technical death metal bands are happy to walk the same path and stick to a tried-and-true sound, on their second full-length The Zenith Passage forge new and exhilarating territory. From start to finish, Datalysium is driven by imagination, and played by artists who have full command of their instruments, creating something that stands out of any pack while maintaining what made them such a riveting proposition in the first place. When asked to describe the record, the band do so vividly: "Imagine if Necrophagist and Meshuggah were married, and Cynic and Extol got married, then years later they went to a swingers party to spice up their relationships, which then became a regular thing. From this, they all had a kid together, no one knows who the biological father is, but that's cool because they're co-parenting. That kid then grows up, idolizing David Lynch, Ridley Scott and film noir. He then goes to film school for a couple of years, but drops out because he'd rather play synth music, but ends up broke and homeless. Then Datalysium would be that kid."
The album was recorded between McKinney's home studio and Rydquist's apartment, with some vocals tracked at Flatline Audio with Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, WAKE), who also mixed the album. McKinney handled the tracking, while they brought in Ryan Williams (The Black Dahlia Murder, John Frum) to produce some of the bass and vocals. Having been friends with Williams for years, it felt natural to have him be a part of the recording process, while Otero also contributed profoundly. A longtime friend of McKinney, this is the first time they have actually collaborated on a record. "Dave is the kind of dude that just gets it, when going for the sound or idea we have in mind, even bringing an idea to light that we never even thought to do and collaborating and expanding on these ideas further. We were expecting some really epic stuff from Dave, but the end result of that has proved to be way more than those expectations."
THE ZENITH PASSAGE
Derek Rydquist: Vocals
Justin McKinney: Guitar
Chistopher Beattie: Guitar
Brandon Giffin: Bass
Directed & Edited by:
Vince Edwards
Lights & Laser Programming:
Sean Krell
Camera Operators:
Stephanie Cabral
Nicole Papastavrou
Grip / Hydro Tech:
Ryan Williams
LYRICS
Look into the eyes of a god, what is there to be seen?
A simple reflection of ignorance
An encoded message that doesn’t make sense
Suppression of cognition through a language that can’t be interpreted by lesser beings
Willing participants, blissed in their slavery 
With empty promises, fervor unwavering 
As stagnancy becomes weaponized 
Wide aphasia 
Vast veiled persuasion
Distracted by subduing sentiment
Conventions evolve within a ruling set 
Obfuscated Revelation 
Devoid of reason, follow to do what’s been foretold 
The framework for all that’s known 
Prolonging sufferance through the spreading of knowledge permitted outside of their reach
At the benighted ascendant’s behest
Diction trusted
Tainted influence
Controlled parsing  
An obscured reference
Disillusioned
Wide aphasia 
Vast veiled persuasion
Distracted by subduing sentiment
Conventions evolve within a ruling set 
Disillusioned
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