Vokonis Call it Quits; Hint at New Projects
Truth be told, I was very much hoping to see Vokonis at some point this year after their 2024 album, Transitions (review here), proffered such aural and existential triumph, not sugarcoating the experience of founding guitarist/vocalist Simona Ohlsson‘s coming out as trans, but giving progressive heavy metal and rock a voice it very much needs and offering yet another collection of killer tunes besides. They were scheduled to support Rezn later this summer in their native Sweden, but the band’s breakup — announced just yesterday — obviously precludes such a thing.
Some of the sting is taken out of the band’s what-feels-like-suddenly calling it a day by the admission, “We might come back in the future, we might not. We’re gonna keep creative music in a different shape and under a different name.” This is good news, whatever it might actually portend in terms of sound. I followed Vokonis from their tone-worshiping demo days as a stoner band a decade ago to the realizations of their last LP, and given the journey in sound that that was, I’m curious what Ohlsson and company might have in store for the future. I may never get to say I saw Vokonis, but at least the door is open to other possibilities.
In my stoner rock head-canon Ohlsson has been tapped to permamently replace Brent Hinds in Mastodon. She can sing and you’d have a hard time finding a better fit. She’d make them a better band. Just saying.
The band and their label, Majestic Mountain Records, offered the following on social media:
Says Vokonis:
Vokonis, 2015-2025.
Vokonis have come to an end. We’d like to thank everyone who’s listened to our music, come to our shows and supported us in any way possible. We might come back in the future, we might not.
We’re gonna keep creating music in a different shape and under a different name. Again, thank you all who’s taken part in our journey.
Says Majestic Mountain Records:
It is with heavy hearts that we at Majestic Mountain mark this somber day. We’ve been ardent supporters of Vokonis’ music since their inception in 2015, closely following their profound influence on the heavy music scene and their remarkable evolution from stoner doom roots to the expansive realms of progressive metal that is the album ‘Transitions’.
So it goes without saying that releasing VOKONIS latest album, Transitions, has been a true privilege for us at Majestic Mountain. A true milestone for us as a label.
We’ll all miss Vokonis, but we’re also already looking forward to hear where their new musical journey takes us.
Vokonis, Thank you for the music. 🩷
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVokonis/
https://www.instagram.com/vokonisofficial/
https://vokonis.bandcamp.com/
