Chris Ojeda: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Brian Henderson: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Sean Sydnor: Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Matt Bowles: Drums
To state that The Cicada Tree is ‘classic Byzantine‘ in no way implies that this is an album solely rooted in the band’s past. Certainly, all of the hallmarks that have made their sound so compelling for close to two decades are present and correct: muscular yet lithe riffs and fluid leads play against gripping, dynamic and at times unpredictable rhythms, while rich melodies and lyrics that are both involved and intelligent wind their way through every track. But, once more, the groove metal unit has continued their steady evolution – the interplay between their members organic and natural, imbuing the record’s sixty-two-minute running time with a freshness and urgency. “After seventeen years of writing music for Byzantine, I know to let it just come as it may,” states vocalist/guitarist Chris Ojeda. “I never really know what the songs are going to sound like or even the direction they might take. My main focus is to always experiment and push the parameters that have been pushed by past Byzantine albums, without straying too far from the original goal.“
