How do you describe an enigma? In the case of THE GREAT DISCORD certain words come to the fore: Cinematic. Grandiose. Haunting. Soaring. Devastating. Unique. But still, it is perhaps impossible to paint a vivid picture of the Swedish unit, whose layered, textured music gets under the skin and is as likely to conjure exhilaration or a sense of poignancy in the listener as it is a profound and deep seated unease. "We wanted to make an album that gets to you. Having Duende means having soul, the aspects of music that makes you shiver. The darker elements in the music that makes it convincing and enthralling." states vocalist Fia Kempe. "We did not want to make an album you could have on in the background. It's supposed to jump out and grab you, hold you down and make you consume a new piece of it every time. Lyrically it deals with the mundane as well as the extremes of what you as a person potentially live with."

The relationship between Kempe and drummer Aksel Holmgren has stood for many years, connecting on a deep personal level when it comes to music, though it was only when they came together to form THE GREAT DISCORD in 2013 that their collaboration began. Sharing an interest in progressive music, they count the likes of Genesis and King Crimson as well as contemporary acts such as Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan among those who have inspired them. At the same time, individually they look up to a diverse array of musicians beyond the confines of this genre, which broaden the musical base they are working from, and from the start the duo were not interested in merely regurgitating their influences. With a sound rooted in weighty, contorted metal with Kempe's formidable, beautiful vocals soaring above the mechanized tumult, they constantly shift between tones, moods and dynamics, and with every song on Duende they simultaneously challenge and seduce the listener, eluding easy pigeonholing. "We both have very specific ways of writing and we compliment each other very well. The first song we worked on came together in a day, and straight away we could see that we were onto something special," says Holmgren. "The driving force behind everything we do is a desire to artistically tell a story, and have that reach as many people as possible. In the process, we have come to learn that this comes naturally to us. This is what we do." Recruiting guitarists André Axell and Gustav Almberg alongside bassist Rasmus Carlson the band evolved into a fully-fledged entity, all of whom share the same passion and devotion. "With our music being what it is, the need for a shared passion and understanding of this type of music was fundamental," says Kempe. "And we were fortunate enough to find these incredibly talented musicians. People who share our drive, vision and commitment, and with them in the fold everything seemed to fall into place. It's an extremely fulfilling musical relationship, and yet it feels like we've only just scratched the surface."

After the debut "Duende", the band released a new EP, "Echoes" in 2015.