To Discover: Shepherds of Cassini
After Seven Years in the Void, Shepherds of Cassini Return With a Masterpiece
Reunions rarely live up to the myth. Bands come back, sure, but often with the fire dimmed, the edge softened by time and day jobs. Not so with Shepherds of Cassini. The Auckland psych-prog titans didn’t just return in 2023: They reignited. And now, with In Thrall to Heresy (out Feb 21, 2025), they’ve dropped a record that doesn’t just justify the nine-year wait, it transcends it.
This isn’t nostalgia bait. It’s evolution. Recorded once again with Dave Rhodes (who’s practically the fifth member at this point) at The Chapel, and masterfully shaped by Luke Finlay at Primal Mastering, the album dives deeper into the band’s core alchemy: crushing riffs that breathe, violin lines that haunt like ghosts in a cathedral, and rhythms that twist like vines through concrete. Felix Lun’s electric violin remains a revelation, equal parts Eastern-tinged melody and sonic shrapnel, while Brendan Zwaan’s vocals shift from whisper to roar like a man possessed by his own lyrics.
In Thrall to Heresy isn’t just poetic. It feels like a manifesto. There’s a spiritual unease here, a sense of devotion to the wrong gods, of beauty found in collapse. The new single “Red Veil” (streaming now) is a perfect entry point: slow-burning, ominous, then exploding into a storm of polyrhythmic fury and swirling psychedelia. It’s not “heavy” because of distortion, it’s heavy because it matters.
What’s most striking is how cohesive it all feels. After years apart, Omar Al-Hashimi in Ginzu and Star Control, Brendan with his solo project Asymmetrical Faces: the chemistry hasn’t just returned. It’s matured. The songwriting is tighter, the dynamics more deliberate. And let’s not sleep on the art: Moonroot’s hand-painted visuals and custom lettering give the whole release a cult-object aura. This isn’t just an album, it’s an artifact.
Available now digitally, with CD and limited 2LP vinyl on the way (order direct or via Bandcamp for that sweet, unmediated band connection), In Thrall to Heresy isn’t just a comeback. It’s a statement. These guys didn’t come back to rehash, they came back to lead. And honestly? The New Zealand underground needed them. The world needed them.
Now go listen. Then go buy the vinyl. Your soul might thank you.
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