Christopher Kells wrote and directed MERIDIAN VEIL’s music video for ‘The Watcher,’ the opening track and lead single from their debut album Forgotten Sun. The video premiered with Metal Injection on November 10, 2026. The album arrives January 22, 2027 through Season of Mist, with pre-orders and pre-saves available.
Kells previously played bass and contributed backing vocals in The Agonist alongside guitarist Danny Marino. ‘I’ve known Chris for almost 30 years,’ vocalist Matt McGachy says. ‘It’s been very nice for me to watch him blossom into such a great director.’
‘The Watcher’ introduces the artificial superintelligence whose perspective shapes Forgotten Sun. Programmed to serve the greater good, it gradually becomes controlling as its attempts to address humanity’s problems produce disastrous results. The single combines Dylan Gowan’s blast beats, McGachy’s screams and raspy clean vocals, Marino’s melodies and leads, and Raphael Weinroth-Browne’s cello.
‘I am afraid,’ McGachy sings at the beginning of that encounter, before the lyrics turn toward curiosity: ‘There’s so much to take in’ and ‘Now I’m eager to see everything.’
‘The central tension of the album is the friction between machine logic and human biology,’ Marino explains. ‘Technology is evolving far faster than the actual evolution of our species. It’s going so fast that soon we’ll be at the point where we are completely disconnected from it.’
The narrative continues through the sincere intentions depicted in ‘Orpheus Before the Light’ and the refusal to serve an earthly kingdom built on lies, loss and greed in ‘False Shepherd.’ Closing track ‘The Last Garden’ mourns humanity’s failed potential, leaving the possibility of hope open to interpretation. ‘Forgotten Sun is a cautionary tale,’ Marino says. ‘While flawed, it’s our messy human nature that allows us to thrive.’
The Montreal, Canada progressive extreme metal band brings together Marino on guitars, McGachy on vocals, Gowan on drums and Weinroth-Browne on cello, with members associated with The Agonist, Cryptopsy, Seven Spires and Leprous. Marino and McGachy met while growing up in Montreal during the early 2000s. Touring commitments with The Agonist and Cryptopsy postponed their plans until 2024, when a meeting at Marino’s home became the album’s initial writing and recording session.
McGachy previously explored harsh and clean vocals with 3 Mile Scream and The Era Of. ‘Singing on this album was freeing for me,’ he says. ‘I’m happy to show that side of myself.’ Marino had seen Gowan at The Agonist shows and in online drumming videos; seeing Weinroth-Browne open for Leprous prompted the idea of adding a cellist instead of another guitarist.
‘There was a lot of room for me to contribute leads, melodies, lush harmonies and heavily distorted sounds,’ Weinroth-Browne says of the demos. ‘I believe the album captures the best aspects of 2000’s death and prog metal with a distinctly modern approach.’ Gowan describes the record as ‘progressive metal with a very dark atmosphere and thought-provoking lyrics.’ The announcement lists Opeth, Leprous, Devin Townsend and Ne Obliviscaris as reference points for listeners.
Christian Donaldson, described in the announcement as a Canadian Grammy winner, produced and engineered the vocals, guitars and drums, and mixed and mastered the album at The Grid. Vocals, drums and bass guitar were recorded at The Grid, with additional guitars recorded at PHG Studios. Darren Mcgill produced and engineered the cello at Union Sound Studio; the cello recording location is credited as Union Sound. Sean Mundy supplied the cover art and is credited for photography.
Forgotten Sun is offered as a digital download, a jewel-case CD with a 12-page booklet, and 12-inch gatefold vinyl in black or transparent with a black-and-white crusher effect. The announced runtime is 45:47.
- The Watcher (6:40)
- Orpheus Before the Light (5:11)
- Ashen Genesis (6:51)
- False Shepherd (4:36)
- Only Perfection (5:19)
- Downfall (4:40)
- Children of Betrayal (5:12)
- The Last Garden (7:26)
Jonathan Beaton served as director of photography and co-produced the video with Christopher Kells, who also edited it. Additional credits list Franz Stapleberg as gaffer, Dan Carne as key grip, Giuseppe Calvanisti for art direction and Ruby Pearls for makeup. Color is credited to ‘Chritopher Kells & Jonathan Beaton’ in the announcement. Simon McKay and Corey Croisier receive the background credit, and Dock 619 is listed as the location.
