TEMIC Announces Second Album 'Ceiba'

From the moment they joined forces, TEMIC appeared as a dream come true for prog fans everywhere. The international supergroup features current and former members of Devin Townsend, Mike Portnoy's SHATTERED FORTRESS, NEAL MORSE BAND, HAKEN, SHINING, MARATON and BIG CITY. The group's chart-topping debut lived up to the hype, but on their upcoming LP, "Ceiba", they've grown by leaps and bounds.

TEMIC has now officially announced the mighty and magical "Ceiba" with a soul-stirring video for the album's lead single. While rattled by the encroaching shadow of death, "Ceased To Be" positively ascends by crossing the threshold between progressive metal, pop and hard rock.

"'Ceiba' is a concept album about loss in all its various forms", TEMIC says. "While more progressive than our first album, the songs are driven by honesty and emotions. 'Ceased To Be' is told from the perspective of someone who's dying, while surrounded by their loved ones. Death is not feared nor resisted. Rather, it is observed as a sacred rite of passage".

"Ceiba" will be released on October 2, 2026 via Season Of Mist.

Much like TEMIC's first full-length statement, "Ceiba" can be traced back to theories around mortality. In Mayan culture, the titular tree is considered an axis mundi and held sacred for how it connects the earth with heaven and the underworld. As with the album's striking cover art, "Ceased To Be" is cracked open by guitarist Eric Gillette's booming riffs and an electronic soundscape that rumbles like ominous clouds on the horizon.

"I have experienced lots of personal losses, along with everyone else", keyboardist Diego Tejeida says. "Though we don't often talk about them with each other, loss is so universal that it will always be a natural part of our lives, like a tree".

Indeed, "Ceiba" treats loss not as an end but as one more step along life's path. "The blood will testify: Your soul will never die", vocalist Fredrik Klemp sings with conviction amidst the endlessly rewarding chorus of "Ceased To Be". No matter how deep the album digs into philosophical terrain, TEMIC continue to branch out in all directions — both literally and figuratively. Newest member and fleet-fingered bassist Miguel Pereira locks in with drummer Simen Sandnes despite a multitude of tricky tempo shifts, leading into the song's dramatic finale, which is graced by triumphant keys and a transcendent guitar solo.

"We wrote this album together with contributions from all five members", TEMIC says. "We allowed ourselves to explore the songs and really extend ourselves while always keeping the emotions at the front of our minds".

The video for "Ceased To Be" was directed by Cesar Mendiburu. It was filmed in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, beneath a Ceiba tree and inside a cenote, where Ah Puch, the Mayan god of death, welcomes a woman to the afterlife.

"Since the moment I received the invitation to be a part of 'Ceased To Be', I felt an immediate calling to say yes", actress Anna Kirse says. "Representing all the joy and pain of life, its transformation after death, and the relief of letting go in absolute surrender resonated with me immediately. It was a beautiful artistic challenge".

"Filming the underwater scenes was a profound experience for me as well. It required me to face my own fear of disappearing beneath the water. Surrendering to the unknown and trusting that I was safe became a significant moment of growth for me. Every day of filming was filled with magic, creativity, genuine collaboration and incredible team spirit. I am deeply grateful, truly happy and very proud to be part of this video".

"Ceiba" track listing:

01. Asunder (1:35)
02. Ashes (4:55)
03. Beyond The Voice (3:58)
04. Ceased To Be (6:26)
05. Broken (4:45)
06. Casting Stone (9:16)
07. See Myself (6:38)
08. Parting The Waves Inside (7:24)
09. Night Of Veils (3:38)
10. Alone (7:02)
11. As Long As We Last (10:21)

Long before they appeared like a dream come true to prog fans around the world in 2023 the members of TEMIC had already made a real name for themselves. The international supergroup features current and former members of Devin Townsend, Mike Portnoy's SHATTERED FORTRESS, NEAL MORSE BAND, HAKEN, SHINING and MARATON. Having topped charts in the Netherlands and reaching #15 on the iTunes Worldwide Metal chart, their full-length debut certainly lived up to the hype. But they've grown by leaps and bounds on "Ceiba", their mighty and magical second album.

"'Ceiba' is a concept album about loss in all its various forms", TEMIC says. "While more progressive than our first album, the songs are driven by honesty and emotions. They deal with pain, anger, fear, blame and silence, which are all difficult in their own way but a part of the process to renewing our inner strength".

The concept behind TEMIC started in 2017, when keyboardist Diego Tejeida and guitarist Eric Gillette were both touring members of Mike Portnoy's SHATTERED FORTRESS. After proving to be a quick fit on stage, the two decided to start their own band together.

"We wanted to make music that prided itself on emotion, not just because it's technically difficult to play", Tejeida says. As for what the band would sound like, combining their love for heavy riffs, heavenly pop hooks and high-energy electronic music into a hard-hitting prog-metal hybrid wasn't so simple. But after recruiting former soccer prodigy-turned-Zildjian-endorsed drummer Simen Sandnes to go along with "Norwegian Idol" contestant and powerhouse vocalist Fredrik Klemp, TEMIC put all the pieces together on their very first try.

TEMIC is:

Fredrik Klemp (MARATON, 22) - Vocals
Eric Gillette (NEAL MORSE BAND, MIKE PORTNOY'S SHATTERED FORTRESS) - Guitars, Backing Vocals
Diego Tejeida (DEVIN TOWNSEND, MIKE PORTNOY'S SHATTERED FORTRESS, ex-HAKEN) - Keyboards, Sound Design
Simen Sandnes (SHINING, ARKENTYPE) - Drums
Miguel Pereira (WITHEM, BIG CITY) - Bass

Photo by Mountain Head Media