Autarkh announce new lineup ahead of European dates
Autarkh announce new lineup ahead of European dates
Dutch modern metal band joined by members of DODECAHEDRON and ALKALOID
Autarkh are locked in a state of constant evolution. After the dissolution of Dodecahedron, in 2019, founding member Michel Nienhuis assembled a new band of innovators for his blackened, electro-shocked vision of the future on their debut Form In Motion. Just last year, they pushed their cybernetic view on the digital age to even greater extremes.
“It is even safe to say that the Autarkh that exists on Emergent is not the same Autarkh that existed on Form In Motion”, No Clean Singing wrote about their latest album, “…right when you’re able to put a pin in why you’re enjoying a particular segment of Emergent, Autarkh problem themselves off in a completely different direction with joyous abandon.”
The circularity that courses through Autarkh has even sparked two separate alter egos. Autarkh III re-imagines their cutting-edge contemporary metal as ambient drones, while Autarkh Collective is a fully improvised collaboration that features a revolving lineup around Nienhuis.
While their third album is already in its earliest test phases, before the band embarks on their first tour supporting Emergent, today, Autarkh are introducing two new members.
For the very first time, Autarkh will now feature a live drummer. Nienhuis' old band mate Jasper Barendregt has earned a reputation as both a brutal metal drummer and a refined groove master during his time in Dodecahedron, Ulsect and Our Oceans. Adding him to the lineup will not only inject heart-pounding fervor to the band's rhythm section but frees electronic wizard Tijnn Verbruggen to focus entirely on his dazzling synthetic textures and razor-sharp percussive layers.
“I find the synergy between these musicians inspiring, especially how it evolves new and existing cooperations”, Barendregt says. “Teaming up with Autarkh has been a logical and intuitive step for me. I appreciate the mutual trust, respect and admiration between these individuals, who also align with my hybrid live drumming experiments. It's rewarding to work on new music as well as to reimagine work of Autarkh's precursor, Dodecahedron, which I was part of from inception to disbandment.”
Unfortunately, former bassist Desmond Kuijk has left to focus on other priorities, but the band have found a talented replacement. Max Blok is the bassist for the heavy rock band Dead Eyed Creek and live guitarist for Autarkh label mates and progressive metal scientists Alkaloid. He's also worked as a session musician for Ruins of Beverast and Dark Fortress. His supercharged low-end will bring even more heft to the band’s industrial-sized riffs.
"It's a pleasure to be working with people that are not afraid to try something different and keep reinventing themselves in the process", says Blok. "I'm grateful to be joining this group of very skilled musicians and composers.”
Autarkh will debut their new lineup live next year when they play a string of shows in The Netherlands and Belgium together with Farer and Alkahest.
"True torchbearers and trailblazers for the future of metal." - Nine Circles
“Smart, adventurous, and unquestionably brave, Autarkh continues the streak of producing material that defies any expectations of a presumed next chapter while fitting its new mutant member into another nook of the extended Nienhuis universe.” - Angry Metal Guy
"Autarkh will become highly influential on the next generation of extreme metal." - Chicago Reader
"In their particular realm of experimental music, Autarkh have truly crafted something of grave significance.” - Everything is Noise
Line-up:
Michel Nienhuis: vocals, guitars
David Luiten: vocals, guitars
Tijnn Verbruggen: synths, beats
Jasper Barendregt: drums
Max Blok: bass
EMERGENT LIVE 2025
FRI JAN 3 DE PUL, UDEN (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
SAT JAN 4 DB'S, UTRECHT (NL) w/ FARER & ANAPODA
TUE JAN 7 MUSIC CITY, ANTWERP (BE) w/ ALKAHEST
WED JAN 8 HALL OF FAME, TILBURG (NL) w/ ALKAHEST A.O.
THU JAN 9 VERA, GRONINGEN (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
FRI JAN 10 GIGANT, APELDOORN (NL) w/ TORN FROM OBLIVION & ALKAHEST
SUN JAN 12 PATRONAAT, HAARLEM (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
FRI FEB 21 GEBOUW-T, BERGEN OP ZOOM (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
SAT MAR 15 RESISTOR, LEIDEN (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
Dutch modern metal band joined by members of DODECAHEDRON and ALKALOID
Autarkh are locked in a state of constant evolution. After the dissolution of Dodecahedron, in 2019, founding member Michel Nienhuis assembled a new band of innovators for his blackened, electro-shocked vision of the future on their debut Form In Motion. Just last year, they pushed their cybernetic view on the digital age to even greater extremes.
“It is even safe to say that the Autarkh that exists on Emergent is not the same Autarkh that existed on Form In Motion”, No Clean Singing wrote about their latest album, “…right when you’re able to put a pin in why you’re enjoying a particular segment of Emergent, Autarkh problem themselves off in a completely different direction with joyous abandon.”
The circularity that courses through Autarkh has even sparked two separate alter egos. Autarkh III re-imagines their cutting-edge contemporary metal as ambient drones, while Autarkh Collective is a fully improvised collaboration that features a revolving lineup around Nienhuis.
While their third album is already in its earliest test phases, before the band embarks on their first tour supporting Emergent, today, Autarkh are introducing two new members.
For the very first time, Autarkh will now feature a live drummer. Nienhuis' old band mate Jasper Barendregt has earned a reputation as both a brutal metal drummer and a refined groove master during his time in Dodecahedron, Ulsect and Our Oceans. Adding him to the lineup will not only inject heart-pounding fervor to the band's rhythm section but frees electronic wizard Tijnn Verbruggen to focus entirely on his dazzling synthetic textures and razor-sharp percussive layers.
“I find the synergy between these musicians inspiring, especially how it evolves new and existing cooperations”, Barendregt says. “Teaming up with Autarkh has been a logical and intuitive step for me. I appreciate the mutual trust, respect and admiration between these individuals, who also align with my hybrid live drumming experiments. It's rewarding to work on new music as well as to reimagine work of Autarkh's precursor, Dodecahedron, which I was part of from inception to disbandment.”
Unfortunately, former bassist Desmond Kuijk has left to focus on other priorities, but the band have found a talented replacement. Max Blok is the bassist for the heavy rock band Dead Eyed Creek and live guitarist for Autarkh label mates and progressive metal scientists Alkaloid. He's also worked as a session musician for Ruins of Beverast and Dark Fortress. His supercharged low-end will bring even more heft to the band’s industrial-sized riffs.
"It's a pleasure to be working with people that are not afraid to try something different and keep reinventing themselves in the process", says Blok. "I'm grateful to be joining this group of very skilled musicians and composers.”
Autarkh will debut their new lineup live next year when they play a string of shows in The Netherlands and Belgium together with Farer and Alkahest.
"True torchbearers and trailblazers for the future of metal." - Nine Circles
“Smart, adventurous, and unquestionably brave, Autarkh continues the streak of producing material that defies any expectations of a presumed next chapter while fitting its new mutant member into another nook of the extended Nienhuis universe.” - Angry Metal Guy
"Autarkh will become highly influential on the next generation of extreme metal." - Chicago Reader
"In their particular realm of experimental music, Autarkh have truly crafted something of grave significance.” - Everything is Noise
Line-up:
Michel Nienhuis: vocals, guitars
David Luiten: vocals, guitars
Tijnn Verbruggen: synths, beats
Jasper Barendregt: drums
Max Blok: bass
EMERGENT LIVE 2025
FRI JAN 3 DE PUL, UDEN (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
SAT JAN 4 DB'S, UTRECHT (NL) w/ FARER & ANAPODA
TUE JAN 7 MUSIC CITY, ANTWERP (BE) w/ ALKAHEST
WED JAN 8 HALL OF FAME, TILBURG (NL) w/ ALKAHEST A.O.
THU JAN 9 VERA, GRONINGEN (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
FRI JAN 10 GIGANT, APELDOORN (NL) w/ TORN FROM OBLIVION & ALKAHEST
SUN JAN 12 PATRONAAT, HAARLEM (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
FRI FEB 21 GEBOUW-T, BERGEN OP ZOOM (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST
SAT MAR 15 RESISTOR, LEIDEN (NL) w/ FARER & ALKAHEST