Forget the predictable tropes of the modern heavy scene. Belfast duo PREYRS have arrived with a sound that feels less like a performance and more like a physical haunting. Formed by the formidable vocalist Amy Montgomery and multi-instrumentalist producer Michael Mormecha, the project is a volatile collision of Northern Irish grit and expansive, atmospheric weight. Their debut single, ‘Wave of Wisdom’, serves as the perfect gateway into a sonic world where industrial percussion meets a defiant, alt-folk soul.
The track, a standout jewel from their debut album ‘The Wounded Healer’, was self-produced by Mormecha at Tree Song Studios and mixed by Alex Loring. It serves as a visceral manifesto for the band’s "alternative metal" identity—a label that feels almost too small for what they actually do. By weaving together the jagged edges of Sonic Youth with the brooding, cinematic gloom of Chelsea Wolfe, PREYRS have crafted something that thrives in the space between tension and release.
‘Wave of Wisdom’ was penned amidst the biting frost of Wolfe Island, Canada, and you can hear that isolation in the arrangement. It opens with a defiantly discordant clash of alt-folk slide guitar before being anchored by Mormecha’s pummelling industrial percussion. Over this tectonic plate shift of sound, Montgomery delivers a vocal performance that oscillates between raw anguish and a shimmering, defiant hope.
Conceptually, the song doesn't shy away from the dark. It explores the repetitive cycles of suffering, yet it refuses to wallow. Instead, it suggests that the very recognition of pain is the catalyst for transformation. As the band puts it, "Wave of Wisdom" embodies the idea "that recognising pain is the first step towards healing, and that clarity can rise from even the heaviest moments."
Having already secured a nomination for "Best Alternative Metal Album" at the 2025 Metal Storm Awards and earning the "ones to watch" badge from Planet Rock, the momentum behind PREYRS is becoming impossible to ignore. From the muddy fields of Glastonbury to the heavy metal hallowed ground of Bloodstock, their live presence is a controlled explosion of "aggression and euphoria."
You can stream the new single above and the full album here. For more, be sure to catch the band on Instagram and Facebook.
