Founded in 2017 by guitarist Maïwa Azurescens (J. Perkins) of Montreal. Emanating a healthy blend of Psychedelic Doom / Heavy Blues / Stoner Rock and Black Metal in the classic form of bass, drums, and guitar. He includes special guests on each EP and live performance. The experimental, progressive and massive Doom-ish sounding music is best described as Pink Floyd meeting Black Sabbath and crashing into Mayhem, for those who have never heard the project. Each EP differs in its core genre and shows versatility in the writing process. Perkins is known in the black metal scene as founder, writer and guitarist of Éohum.
Wykan shows the world a raw concoction of heavy blackened doom, blues, and stoner rock in stunning cohesion.
Since Wykan’s debut they've headlined for the band Frayle, played with Doom legends Fister, Grindcore/Death scene’s Killitorous and Solium Fatalis to name a few. Wykan was also featured in Decibel magazine within their first year founded.
In just under 8 months of the band being founded, WYKAN unleashed their debut EP “Solace” to the masses in April 2018. The EP delivered a heavy brew, blending a soup of atmospheric groove metal, of heavy riffs and overridden hot tubes pushed to the limit, in a ceremonial manner live.
As the founder continues on this path of heaviness, WYKAN returns in 2019 with their sophomore EP “Brigid: Of The Night” which follows the band’s plan of releasing an EP every six to ten months to keep fans with material and the writing flowing with fresh grooves.
They’ve had guests on Ep’s like Matt McGachy from Cryptopsy & Simon McKay of The Agonist, making each EP a glimpse or a new sound so to speak, from artist we know from other bands which collaborate.
“I want to give fans a trip for the mind, without the same old barriers and hooks, just plain vibes and atmosphere, and my most important aspect experimentation and something new. This second “Brigid” EP ; encompasses the 70’s classic riffing on the soft parts as melodically we move toward Doom then into Black Metal/Death with ease. As a story, “Brigid: Of The Night” is about the Celtic Goddess known as Brigid. The whole thematic and three songs are a historical take on the once known ceremonial festivities based on this Celtic Deity and her representation/relationship, within Celtic culture of Ireland’s per-Christian era.” says Perkins.
The band’s line up for their 2nd EP "Brigid of the Night" features guest drummer Simon McKay of The Agonist rattling his talents on track #3 Reul-Iuil Bride (Star of Brigid) along WYKAN and EOHUM founder Jeremy Perkins on guitar, vocalist Barrie Butler (Eohum, ex-Tard), bassist Corey Thomas, best known for his own Jazz ensemble Backwater Township and drummer Dug Kawliss (ex-Tempete) who is on tracks #1 Imbolc (The Cleansing) and #2 Breo-Saighead (Triple Goddess).
Welcome to the Wykan Cult Gathering & Ceremony
Reviews :
"If there were ever a reason to resurrect the once too-often used word epic, Wykan is it. You come away from both of these EPs feeling like you’ve experienced something monumental. I confess, I’ve yet to warm up to black metal on the whole, as it all sounds a little too wispy and paper thin for my tastes, but Wykan presents it with real substance. I think the doom helps to ground it, striking just the right balance between frenetic winter wind and the frozen ground of earth, with those blues sparking an unexpected fire. "
doomedandstoned.com/post/185202686923/wykan
WYKAN make it in "Decibel Magazine's" March 2019 print issue!!!
www.facebook.com/WYKANBAND/photos/pcb.2401192123499051/2401191510165779/?type=3&theater
"Wykan are making their music for all the right reasons. Not to show off body modifications; rather, they are all about brain modifications. They have dug deep into the primordial well-spring of the music that we all love. Inspired by the blues (working man’s music, just like heavy metal), doom metal and even a touch of psychedelic, Wykan are playing music from the Akashic Records. It always has been; hopefully it always will be.
Wykan’s music is tribal in its inspiration, and indeed musically it is definitely a case of journeying to the centre of the mind. Musical touchstones are Mastodon (up to Crack the Skye), Cream, Neurosis, High On Fire, and Sleep. Wykan are a special band, and I look forward to a full-length release from them."
www.hellbound.ca/2018/05/wykan-solace/
"Overall – Impressively eclectic, undefined by any one genre, with a healthy disregard for boundaries, ‘Solace’ could easily be called a cutting-edge production, traversing many genres and perceived barriers, within metal. Less of an EP to enjoy and kick back with and more one to concentrate your thoughts on, perhaps, but otherwise, it’s intelligently thought provocative, with touches of genius. 9/10 " Jennytate
"Wykan has the perfect EP for anyone who wonders what it would sound like to merge modern black metal with vintage 70’s era psychedelic stoner rock. / These rapid transitions are a testament to the band’s overall talent. Musicianship is solid. Morgan Zwicker provides excellent drumming that isn’t over the top or non-stop blast beats typical of the genre. The drumming blends well with Daniel Paras taking a more jazz/blues approach on bass with an edgy twist. Jeremy Perkins guitar playing solidifies all the intricate style layers Wykan merged throughout this EP.
Jeremy proclaimed they wanted to leverage the feel of psychedelic stoner metal for this release and, for the most part, they succeeded. It is often difficult to be fully engaged with this music due to frequent abrupt changes, but I believe that was Wykan’s intent. This isn’t music to lay back and enjoy. This EP will awaken, provoke, and sometimes disturb you, which is directly in-line with the tribal themes and imagery conveyed in the lyrics. Wykan has taken black metal to a new level by daring to be different. It will be interesting to see how they evolve from here."
thepitmagazine.com
"Brigid: Of The Night was everything it promised to be. The gorgeous, Gilmour-esque guitar leads of the opening track, the dark blues and searing black metal of Breo-saighead and the dark, icy doom of reul-luil Bride will leave any discerning metal fan in awe of the band’s grand vision. With plans to release new material every six to ten months, the next work cannot come soon enough. As it is, Brigid: Of The Night is a genuine masterpiece. 9.5"
SONICABUSE.COM
“With a beginning of mellow guitar, Montreal blackened psych-sludge — and if such a thing was going to come from anywhere, it would come from a city with such a history of genre-meld — four-piece Wykan set the atmosphere for the centerpiece of their new EP, Brigid: of the Night. Issued by the band tomorrow with cover art from none other than David Paul Seymour, the release comprises three tracks and stands out for the short-album concept centered around the Celtic goddess named in its title. “Breo-Saighead (Triple Goddess)” is the second of the three slices, with “Imbolc (The Cleansing)” before and “Reul-Iuil Bride (Star of Brigid)” serving as the finale after, and its push into doom and black metal is underscored by a heft of tone and groove that makes the post-midpoint slowdown at about 4:30 into the total 7:31 a turn consistent with what’s come before.
That is, by that point, Wykan — vocalist Barrie Butler, guitarist Jeremy Perkins, bassist Corey Thomas and drummer Dug Kawliss — have📷 set a pretty broad range for themselves and are as much focused on dwelling without as within the bounds of genre. Butler‘s vocals unquestionably provide a charred spin to the proceedings, but they’re by far the only forward element at play, as Perkins‘ guitar leads the way from one part to another in classic riff-based fashion. The band made their debut in 2018 with the Solace EP (review here), but what “Breo-Saighead (Triple Goddess)” and the frame in which it arrives signal is clear growth in just a year’s time and the desire to use aesthetic to tell a story as well as to be blisteringly heavy in terms of sonics. Not every band gets there at all — or wants to, I suppose — but even the ambition lends a progressive edge to Brigid: of the Night, and like the first three-tracker before it, gives Wykan another foundation to build from as they go forward.
Perhaps clearest of all is the signal “Breo-Saighead (Triple Goddess)” sends that they will indeed go forward, and that they’re only becoming a more complex outfit as they do so.”
www.theobelisk.com
Reviews from last years EP:
“an impressive debut, with enough hooks to catch ears wherever it gets play. So grab yourself a copy, turn it up, and consume some mean doom.” – The Burning Beard (Review – Solace EP 2018)
“A strange and bewildering piece of psychedelic doom metal, inspired by both old school doom and black metal, this debut by Canadian act Wykan is certainly something special. ” – Merchants of Air (Review – Solace EP 2018)
“Montreal riff metallers Wykan make their debut April 13 with the SolaceEP. It is not intended for background listening. Even at three tracks/24 minutes, it’s not the kind of thing you “just put on” while you’re picking up around the house or working or whatever you might be doing. It demands attention and demands it early.” – The Obelisk (Review – Solace EP 2018)
““The Gathering” is an undeniably intense song that passes through changing shades of mystery, tension, torment, and gloom. The stage is set through a slow, reverberating guitar melody, whose ringing tones create a mystical aura, and by a solemn, heavy riff that itself has an otherworldly cast. The increasingly acrobatic drumming and the vibrancy of the throbbing bass drive the energy of the song higher, as does the swirling lead, which creates a feeling of growing disquiet and pain, made even more distraught by the vocal combination of acidic rasping shrieks and harsh roars.” – No Clean Singing (Review – Solace EP 2018)