Track By Tracks: Sybreed - Slave Design (20th Anniversary) (2024)

Drop (guitars & electronics): These songs were written over 20 years ago, so I’ll do my best to remember the mindset I had back then. To set the stage, everything was composed during a transitional period for the band. From 1998, we were known as Rain, with a sound heavily influenced by bands like Samael: drum machines and lot of keyboards. In 2002, our former singer Sin left, and Ben took over. Around this time, I was growing eager to write music that felt groovier and more technical, inspired by Fear Factory, Meshuggah, and In Flames. We recorded the Bioactive EP, which already hinted at the direction we wanted to go. Later, Alex joined, replacing the drum machine, and Laurent, our second guitarist, left. That’s when we decided to rename the band from Rain to Sybreed.

Our goal was simple: make the music we wanted to hear. At the time, I jokingly called it “Melodic Meshuggah,” which later evolved into what’s now referred to as “Djent.”

1. Bioactive:

This track was on the Bioactive EP (obviously!), but the version was different. It was shorter, more industrial, and with less groove, though many of the riffs remained. It’s one of the most beloved Sybreed tracks, and we often use it to close our shows. There are these double-bass parts that every metal fan cherishes.

2. ReEvolution:

This was probably Sybreed’s first real “hit single”. The track features that unforgettable melodic screamed chorus, which became a sort of signature for us, heavily inspired by Devin Townsend. Funny story, I wasn’t happy with the track at first. I had the intro and the chorus, but I wasn’t confident when I played it for the band. They all agreed it was going to be a great song. A similar situation happened later with Doomsday Party (from The Pulse Of Awakening): I almost scrapped it because I thought it sounded cheesy, but again, the band convinced me otherwise. And these ended up being our most-played songs.

3. Decoy:

This is one of the tracks where you really hear the groovier, rawer direction we were heading in. It even has a bit of a Nu-metal vibe (eh, it was in the early 2000s). The chorus and middle section were heavily inspired by In Flames, one of my biggest influences back in the day (and yes, I’m talking about the old albums, I’m one of those people, haha).

4. Synthetic Breed:

This track’s name is essentially Sybreed spelled out. For a long time, it was my favorite. It’s heavily influenced by Meshuggah but with a lot more melody. The song captures the style I wanted to create perfectly, with bouncing, intricate guitar riffs that felt like a magic ball ricocheting off walls.

5. Next Day Will Never Come:

One of my favorite Sybreed tracks, and Ben’s too. It feels like a callback to the simple melodic roots of Rain but keeps everything groovy. On the middle section, I wanted to create this watery, reverbed guitar sound, inspired by Devin Townsend’s Ocean Machine, one of my favorite albums of his.

6. Machine Gun Messiah:

This is the kind of song you write when you picture someone who doesn’t care, just flipping everyone off. We wanted to capture that raw, dumb power you get from Strapping Young Lad. It’s simple and effective, not clever at all! There’s a part that’s almost ripped straight from Meshuggah’s “Corridor of Chameleons.”

7. Take The Red Pill:

Originally called Mutagen, this track had a more industrial vibe before we decided to take it in a crazier direction. The opening riff is super fun to play, and the headbanging part after the midsection shows that some of these tracks were definitely written with live performances in mind.

8. Rusted:

I started writing this around the time Drumkit From Hell came out, which featured Tomas Haake’s (Meshuggah’s drummer) samples. I tried it out and wrote something that, to me, sounded like Meshuggah. The verses have a bit of a Korn/ Nu-metal vibe, and the midsection is probably the doomiest and heaviest thing we ever did with Sybreed! I was really happy with the catchy vocal melody in the chorus. We recorded this as a demo during pre-production in 2003, along with Decoy and System Debaser (which you all know by now).

9. Static Currents:

Another track from the Bioactive EP, though this one didn’t change much. We kind of forgot how fun it was to play live. We used to perform it a lot early on, but dropped it from our setlist after Antares was released. Not sure why, maybe we thought it was too old. But I love the catchiness, especially the midsection, which was also influenced by In Flames.

10. Critical Mass:

This is the last track of the original edition, and honestly, it’s probably my least favorite. It’s a good song with strong melodies and clear Devin Townsend influences, but we tried to do something progressive by starting soft and building up, and it didn’t quite work. If you listen to the end, where we finally build the riff with guitars and keyboards, you can hear what it could have been from the start. The track would’ve been better if it were about 1min/1:30 or shorter or had better arrangements.

11. Bioactive (2024):

Returning to the studio with the guys last year to record these bonus tracks felt like coming home. Everything went smoothly, and we had a great time. We’re really happy with the result of the new recording. I’m finally satisfied with how the drum and bass parts turned out, which has been bothering me over the years.

12. System Debaser:

This track might be perceived as the “new single,” but it’s actually 21 years old. We felt it deserved some reworked arrangements and a proper recording. We knew you guys would love it cause it perfectly showcases what Sybreed is all about groovy riffs, a melodic chorus, random off-topic midsections, Benjamin's huge screams, clean vocals, and keyboards everywhere.