Behind The Tracks: Keyodis - Zeon (Single) (2024)

Keyodis is currently experiencing a creative storm. There are only three of us, and one of our guitarists is out because he's getting married and moving. So, Anthony and I (Morgan) decided to keep writing. We wanted to retain some of the sound from our first album but get heavier in both lyrics and overall sound.

The song "Zeon" was born out of a writing session during this creative process, which tends to move slowly since we all live in different cities across Texas. I grew up watching the Gundam series and have been building Gunpla models for years. In every band I've been in, I've always wanted to write a song inspired by it. So, I started writing.

Though I'm a practicing Christian, I love exploring the harsh darkness of this world. I have a unique perspective on life—I know I am loved and live a happy life, but I also feel the deep despair of the world, an Ecclesiastes-kind of life. I hate the darkness and want to understand it fully. The Zeon Federation provided a good perspective to tackle this truth. In the Gundam series, the Zeon Federation believes that the only way to achieve peace on Earth is by leaving it, and anyone who doesn't follow this belief is an enemy that must be destroyed. Zeon rules all, regardless of who you are. When you think about it, this mirrors how some people want the world to be—with their enemies gone, nonexistent, obliterated. No talks, no understanding. This is sacred ground; how dare you live on it.

Okay, enough with the sad stuff—let’s talk about the recording process! As I mentioned, we all live in different cities, so the process can be challenging. I highly recommend this style of recording if your band doesn’t have a strict agenda. If you love writing music and have a group of friends who don’t need a set schedule or deadlines, give this a try.

Anthony lays the foundation of the song in his home studio and then sends it to me. I put the parts together and make adjustments, removing anything that doesn’t fit. I tend to be the main producer and visionary for our music unless one of the other members has a strong desire to include a particular part. I will then lay down anything else that is needed like drums, get help with bass, and then drop the vocals last. How I write lyrics is a whole other conversation that I can get into for another time. For "Zeon," I incorporated sounds from the show to add some shine and sting to the song. We wanted to go for a fast and heavy sound to reflect the massive mecha robots in the show. Our sound leans towards The Dillinger Escape Plan, Darko US, The Chariot, Norma Jean, Converge, and maybe a splash of The Jonbenét. I'm especially excited that I got to throw in a Latin lyric—I’ve always wanted to do that! I recorded myself singing the same line over and over, which probably sounded hilarious to my neighbors. Thanks to them for not calling the police on me while I was recording my vocals.

Since we’re very much a DIY band, we produce and master everything ourselves. This whole band has been one big hobby and learning project. We love writing music and pushing our creative boundaries. No agenda—just write and have fun while doing it. If there’s one thing I hope someone takes away from our music or this article, it’s to have fun. You never know where it might take you.