Ethereal Metal

Ryan Murray | Co-Owner | Chief Editor | Contributor | Photographer

r.m.music84@gmail.com

---

There’s an ache to this one. A weight. The kind that doesn’t just sit in the chest—it settles into the bones. Back To You, the third single from Pathos & Logos’ upcoming EP Gospel, doesn’t simply build upon the band’s explosive redefinition from instrumental duo to vocal-driven storytellers. It dives into the human wreckage we try so hard to dress in pride.

Formed in the sweltering summer of 2018 along the foothills of Colorado, Pathos & Logos made their name as a genre-defying instrumental force—channeling magik, power, and unspoken spirituality into their celebrated records Glory to the Order and CULT. But in 2025, Gospel marks a profound shift: the spoken word, sharpened and scorched. With lyrics that confront the spiritual, emotional, and psychological toll of creation itself, Gospel isn’t just a pivot—it’s a crucible. And Back To You may be its most searing moment yet.

What makes the track remarkable is how fully realized it feels across all three of its incarnations. There’s the radio edit—melodic, accessible, emotionally incisive. The acoustic version—stripped bare, yet cavernous in impact. And then there’s the Torn in Two version, an all-out metal exorcism with Kyle Neeley’s harsh vocals ripping through the fabric like retribution incarnate. Each format is distinct, but they share a spine: a lyrical reckoning soaked in betrayal, disillusionment, and unflinching judgment.

Paul Christiansen delivers the clean vocals with a tone that’s simultaneously compassionate and damning—fatherly and furious. Neeley’s growls in the Torn in Two cut are pure atmospheric rupture, evoking rage that isn’t blind, but laser-focused. It’s a three-pronged strike—spirit, mind, body—and no version lands without leaving a mark.

The emotional intensity of Back To You is born in its language, a poetic monologue dripping with accountability and venom. These are words for anyone who ever tried to shortcut the struggle—who asked for glory without sacrifice. “Hold your head high, tell yourself you did it. In your heart you won’t admit it…only halfway there.” There’s no posturing here, just naked confrontation. The song doesn’t lecture—it lashes. It grieves. It judges. And when it finally reaches its apex, it delivers one of the most brutal refrains of the year: “I will take everything inside / I will take all of your foolish pride / I will take all the best of you… tear it in two… and hand it back to you.” It’s not just pain—it’s sentencing. Delivered in a voice that’s been underwater for years and just surfaced to speak the truth.

Back To You also marks a significant milestone in the band’s evolution. Traditionally instrumental, Pathos & Logos have chosen their words with the same intricate care they’ve always applied to their compositions. As Neeley explained, “We specifically wanted a song that would be as strong on acoustic guitar as it would be on piano as it would be as a full-on metal track. Because of that, it just made sense that the lyrics had to be dope.” Mission accomplished. There’s nothing throwaway or ornamental here. Every word is a wound, every syllable intentional.

Christiansen, handling clean vocals and keys on both the radio and acoustic versions, brings a controlled, emotive presence that grounds the track even as it teeters on the edge of collapse. His performance gives the lyrics their piercing sincerity. Neeley’s contribution in the Torn in Two version is a sonic rupture—guttural, massive, necessary. It’s not just anger—it’s architecture. Riffs rise and fall with brutal symmetry, never overwhelming the message, only reinforcing it.

Paul adds, “This song is kind of a shaded warning to those who want accolades for their creative accomplishments but have not truly subjected themselves to the developmental rigors that create real meaning in art.” You hear that conviction in every phrase, every transition from clean to chaos.

As they’ve done with each release from Gospel, Pathos & Logos pair each sonic transformation with striking visuals—but this time, the approach is refreshingly understated. In the acoustic video, dropping May 9th, Christiansen walks alone through a rainy, grey landscape—his presence steady, contemplative. The soaked environment mirrors the track’s emotional rawness: exposed, unfiltered, quietly devastating. Then, like a ghost trailing consequence, Neeley emerges in the distance, guitar in hand, following at a distance that feels both literal and symbolic. The power lies in the restraint. There’s no dramatic climax, no overproduction—just the quiet gravity of reckoning, walking alongside the one who spoke it into being. The radio edit video will follow on May 23rd, and the Torn in Two version on June 6th—each promising new emotional texture, new scars made visible.

Live audiences will get to feel that weight firsthand as the band hits the road in support of Gospel:

Sat May 10th – Kirby’s (Wichita, KS)

Sat June 28th – The Moxi Theater (Greeley, CO – Album Release Show)

Fri Aug 8th – Lost Lake (Denver, CO)

Fri Aug 22nd – Youngstown Bowl (Youngstown, OH)

Sat Aug 23rd – Ormsby 222 (Pittsburgh, PA)

These shows aren’t just performances—they’re confrontations. Proof that Pathos & Logos haven’t just added vocals to their sound—they’ve infused it with purpose, perspective, and power.

Back To You is a message and a mirror. It may be the most honest song Pathos & Logos have ever written. And whether it’s delivered in a whisper, a wail, or a wall of riffs—it demands to be heard.

PATHOS & LOGOS ARE:

FOLLOW PATHOS & LOGOS FOR UPDATES ON THE RELEASE OF THEIR UPCOMING EP “GOSPEL” OUT JUNE 27th, 2025!