Banished Music, Whammy Bar, and Valhalla are proud to present the long-awaited New Zealand debut of experimental post-metal trio SUMAC.
Formed in 2014, the powerhouse trio comprised of Aaron Turner (guitar, vocals; Isis, Old Man Gloom), Brian Cook (bass; Russian Circles, Botch), and Nick Yacyshyn (drums; Baptists) are renowned for merging crushing heaviness with improvisational freedom, exploring the boundaries between structure and chaos.
SUMAC have built a reputation as a fearsome live band. Visceral and cathartic shows where crushing riffs & sprawling drones collide with extended bursts of wild improvisation. In 2024, the band released their critically acclaimed album The Healer, a sweeping, transformative work spanning four monumental tracks. The record dives deep into themes of regeneration, suffering, and spiritual reconstruction — a testament to the band’s ability to meld raw power with emotional depth.
The experimental metal trio’s four-song, 76-minute album is the peak of their career. It’s dense and invigorating, highlighting the band’s dexterity, creativity, and clarity of purpose. - Pitchfork
Soon after the release SUMAC teamed up with poet and sound artist Moor Mother to release The Film, a boundary-pushing collaborative album. Released via Thrill Jockey in April 2025, the record unfolds as a cinematic journey across eight “scenes,” merging SUMAC’s heavy, jazz-inflected textures with Moor Mother’s incisive spoken-word commentary.
SUMAC’s work has always been about transition between different states of being. Our sense of normal, and indeed our sense of life, is now being shaken. We don’t know what is coming next. We are looking for pointers towards the future, as well as things to hold onto in the moment.
New Zealanders, don’t miss this rare and powerful journey into uncharted sonic terrain.
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