“The truth of human freedom lies in the love that breaks down barriers.”
— Jürgen Moltmann
“[...] Kozen [...] have a lot going for them in terms of talent, cohesive songwriting ability, genre mixing, and musical mindfulness which is a recipe for true greatness. There’s so much potential here. Woe to those who sleep on it!”
“Let me tell you, this combination of genres and cultures coming together makes for a unique sound different than anything else out in the scene today. Taking musical evolution to the next level, check out KOZEN if you want to question everything you think you know about genres.”
— Jonathan Del Pozo (The Scene Remedy)
“Not a note is wasted, and there’s a wonderful sense from start to finish that a range of disparate ideas and notions are coming together into something truly refreshing and revitalizing. Overall, on their debut, Kozen has managed to embrace a miasma of genres and styles, while still setting out their unique sound.”
— Alex (Musipedia of Metal)
“The overall result is a very youthful and energetic album – reminiscent of the alternative rock of the early 2000s. There’s a feeling of possibility on each track, as Kozen pushes the limits of what their instruments can do, showcasing the breadth of their talent.”
— Migs Lava (Canadian Beats)
Ever since forming in 2015 KOZEN has set out to expand the boundaries of 'genre' through the virtue of diversity. Everything about the band - from it's personnel to it's music - is quintessentially Torontonian, with the members (Maxwell Aka, Jericho Leal, Sidone Harrison, Jeremy John, Jared Leal) hailing from musical backgrounds as diverse as Metal, Gospel, R&B, Pop, and Prog Rock, and tracing their heritage to places as diverse as Okinawa, St. Lucia, Jamaica, St. Vincent, and the Philippines. Founded on this principle of diversity, the band brings a truly multi-cultural and multi-textured dynamic to progressive music.
KOZEN's first release - a double EP called "Swimming To The Stars" - showcased two sides of lead singer Maxwell Kozen's songwriting style, one softer and one heavier. After switching a few band members, KOZEN teamed up with producer Justin Meli (Crown Lands, Excuses Excuses) and went in a heavier and more focused metal direction with their single Barricade. This single also ended up being the band's first music video, produced by The Trenches Inc.
In a short period of time the band has managed to play alongside artists like Romancer, Bird Problems, Polarity, Rebelle, Poeta, and We Were Sharks, among many others. In 2017, they toured with Quebec experimental hardcore group We Throw Flowers, playing shows from Windsor, ON, to Quebec City, and also participated in Indie Week 2017 in Toronto.
On June 5, 2019, the band played the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in downtown Toronto in celebration of their new album, "A Fearful Wonder," which they co-produced with Stephen James Kerr (Afterwake, Golden Gate Graves), who also mixed and mastered the album. They were joined by Talking Violet, Afterwake, and Polarity for a diverse and musically adept evening. Two days later, the album was released. It saw the group building upon the musical and lyrical themes of their previous work, embracing a more refined and focused sound and slightly less esoteric lyrics.
In a post-genre era of music, where heavy bands are going melodic, pop artists are playing with darker aesthetics, and stylistic crossovers are becoming more and more common, KOZEN is a band worth paying attention to. The future of rock music will be created by bands that can transcend labels and categories, defying limitations and discovering new possibilities. Rock is not dead, but it must evolve.
KOZEN is:
Maxwell Kozen [Vocals, Guitars]
Synth Sidone Harrison [Keys, Vocals]
Jericho Leal [Guitars]
Jeremy John [Bass]
Jared Leal [Drums]
The heavy first half of the Swimming To The Stars project.