• Home
  • KOZEN
    • The Circles
    • Maxwell Kozen
  • Music
  • Contact

Kozen

  • Home
  • KOZEN
    • The Circles
    • Maxwell Kozen
  • Music
  • Contact

BIO

Ever since forming in 2015 KOZEN has set out to expand the boundaries of 'genre' through the virtue of diversity. The Toronto-based progressive metal band has always reflected the multicultural makeup of their city by representing massive amounts of different musical influences in their sound. In 2020, Kozen was listed by Alternative Press as one of the 10 Best Genre Bending Bands You've Never Heard Of. Fittingly, over the course of their career, KOZEN has had members from genres as varied as Metal, Gospel, R&B, and Pop, and hailing heritages as diverse as Okinawa, St. Lucia, Jamaica, St. Vincent, and the Philippines. Founded on this principle of diversity, the band has consistently brought 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 debut 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.

Since releasing their debut, KOZEN has gone through a number of lineup changes, and currently is operate as a three-piece band. The vision of genre-bending and unexpected versatility still drives the band, and the singles they have put out since their debut album prove that there is no safe way to predict what they might do next. 

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 always evolve.

Members

Maxwell Kozen

Vocals | Guitar | Keyboards

Max is the founder and namesake of KOZEN. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Max has been equally shaped by Metal, Gospel, and Pop music, which has led to his peculiar writing style. His background in philosophy and religion means that he always has something to sing (or scream) about.

Instagram

Jericho Leal

Guitar

One of the most impressive shredders in the Toronto music scene, Jericho Leal is the resident metal expert in KOZEN. Characterized by a blend of Deathcore, Nü-Metal, and Power-Prog, Jericho's playing is always precise and impactful.

Instagram

Sid Harris

Bass | Keyboards | Vocals | Drums

A long-time co-collaborator with the band, Sid has filled a broader set of roles than any other member of Kozen. He is also a reputable and in-demand session musician, playing for Canadian artists like Loony, Leila Dey, and Ruth B. While he has recently rejoined KOZEN, Sid's primary music project is a gospel group, Overflow Worship - which shares current and past members with KOZEN.

Instagram

Jared Leal

Drums

Despite being a powerhouse on blastbeats and breakdowns, Jared is actually the band's most dedicated Pop and oldies fanatic. Enamoured with everything old school, Jared's focus is always to recenter his bandmates experimental and aggressive tendencies around groove and feeling. 

Alumni & Honorary Members

Jon Aristide

Bass (2015-2017)

The founding bassist for KOZEN, Jon played alongside Max and Sid since before the band had even started. Jon recorded Swimming To The Stars (A) and Barricade with the band, and played numerous shows both during and after his time as an official member. He continues to play alongside Max and Sid in Overflow Worship and also performs alongside numerous Canadian R&B, Soul, and Gospel artists.

Instagram

Jeremy John

Bass (2018-2020)

Jeremy John joined the band shortly before the release of A Fearful Wonder. While his tenure with the band was short, he was present through some of the most definitive moments of KOZEN's story. An accomplished drummer and multi-instrumentalist, Jeremy has been focusing on his own solo work and collaborating with artists across various genres in the greater Toronto area.

Instagram

Antonia Lawrence

Backing Vocals

Antonia is a long-time friend of Max and the other band members, who has appeared on numerous KOZEN songs over the course of the band's history. While Antonia hopes to one day release her own solo music, she has been busy founding a charitable organization, Uplift Kitchen, to support families in need of food during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Instagram

Brett Santacona

Manager | Live Backing Musician

Brett has been an integral part of the KOZEN team since very early in the band's journey. While primarily acting as the band's manager and booking agent, he has also filled in on multiple occasions as a touring bassist or keyboardist, and backing vocalist. Brett is the founder of Shop Class music, through which he provides managerial and promotional services to KOZEN and other artists like Talking Violet and The Lookout Service.

Shop Class Website

Kyron Newbury

Drums (2014-2016)

Kyron was a founding member of the band and personally had a hand in convincing Max to get the whole project started. He recorded the drums for the Swimming To The Stars double-EP, and played drums at KOZEN's first show as a band. Kyron has an extensive musical history and has played with numerous artists all over the world. He has moved on to officership in the Salvation Army.

Press

“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)

Podcast Features

  • Log out
Powered by Bandzoogle

notes
0:00/???
  1. 1
    To The Wind 4:03
    Lyrics
    Free
    0:00/4:03
  2. 2
    With Open Eyes 3:39
    Lyrics
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/3:39
  3. 3
    Burning In My Mind 4:08
    Lyrics
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/4:08
  4. 4
    Nail 4:05
    Lyrics
    Free
    0:00/4:05
  5. 5
    Barricade 3:57
    Info
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/3:57
  6. 6
    Shadow Ocean Stagnant 3:41
    Lyrics
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/3:41
  7. 7
    Calluses 3:52
    Lyrics
    Free
    0:00/3:52
  8. 8
    From Heaven 4:58
    Lyrics
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/4:58
  9. 9
    Undercurrent 4:27
    Lyrics
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/4:27
  10. 10
    Transatlantic 4:39
    Lyrics
    Free
    0:00/4:39
  11. 11
    Gazelles 4:38
    Lyrics
    Free
    0:00/4:38
  12. 12
    Autumn Evening Light 1:54
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/1:54
  13. 13
    A Million Days 3:59
    Lyrics
    In cart Not available Out of stock
    0:00/3:59
0:00/???