Seraphim System’s music is a fierce and energetic mix of genres such as industrial, aggrotech, power noise, drum’n’bass, glitch hop, hardcore, and metal. While in terms of lyrics, song titles, and presentation, SER:SYS’ early releases focused on sci-fi elements like cyberpunk, futuristic dystopia, and the annihilation of the human race by war machines. The greatest influences of early releases musically derive from leaders of the dark electronic music scene such as Combichrist, Grendel, and Noisuf-X.  After a history of playing in metal and punk bands, SER:SYS architect John Stancil began his journey in the Industrial music scene by using his musical abilities to craft industrial rave tunes that would help you slam your skull into your chest cavity.


Signed on the strength of a remix for fellow DWA act RAVE THE REQVIEM’s debut album, Seraphim System’s own first album for DWA, “Deadly Force”, released at the tail-end of 2014 and boasts a sound likely to appeal to those into hard-hitting instrumental electronics like NOISUF-X, TERRORFAKT, X-Rx and SAM. Signed also following a slew of impressive self-releases, “Deadly Force” and its subsequent albums brought Seraphim System international interest and a spot at the UK’s final Resistanz Festival in 2016. Seraphim System then built a fan base across all of Europe and had his largest fanbase developing in Russia. Seraphim System’s second full-length album “Automaton Assisted Annihilation” adds elements of hip-hop and consequently a greater use of vocals. Seraphim System unexpectedly branched into the unholy infusion of black metal with industrial.on the next two releases of “Luciferium” and “Pandaemonium” which both charted in the top ten on the German Alternative Charts (DAC) for weeks straight after both of their releases.


After two previous releases in the form of brutal death metal and black metal infused industrial with Luciferium and Pandaemonium, the Xibalba album’s sound turns in a new direction involving more usage of singing vocals as well as fast and hard hitting Punk and Hardcore elements. This Cleopatra Records release is best described as the music heard from the depths of depression and mania. Xibalba is charged, aggressive, and structured chaos in the form of the fusion of Punk and Industrial.

Xibalba is an eight track monstrous half hour of obliterating beats and destructive vocals.  Taking a thematic approach, the lyrics speak on shame, guilt, fear, depression, self loathing, and outright inwardly reflected anger. Xibalba’s sound is the audio format of an atomic blast and aftershock via self doubt and inner turmoil. The outright aggression and despair captured in this half hour is completely synthetic with absolutely no organic components other than the harsh vocals delivered by John while in various small rooms and closets used as makeshift vocal booth studios.

Xibalba was recorded with John moving around constantly and living out of a backpack; his only possessions being his clothes and a laptop with a condenser microphone. The uncertainty and depression during this period of his life are captured, felt, and understood from these lyrical compositions.