Danish duo Gradience, interviewed for IDIOTEQ last year, has officially joined the roster at Metal Blade Records. Known for their volatile mix of black metal, deathcore, metalcore, and trap rap, the band has spent the last few years building momentum through a string of collaborative singles and a debut EP that landed them on the radar of European heavy music media.
Their debut EP Ironsight, produced by Chris Kreutzfeldt (Cabal, MØL), gained attention for its aggressive genre-blending and introspective themes. The band doesn’t shy away from personal territory, using their music to explore alienation and the mental strain of being pushed to the margins.
Metal Hammer UK called it “a tease of Gradience’s grizzly potential,” while nominating the release for “EP Of The Year” at the 2024 Danish Heavy Awards. The band was also nominated for “Hope Of The Year,” underlining their growing status in the Danish heavy scene.
Earlier this year, Gradience performed at the When Copenhell Freezes Over showcase hosted by Copenhell at Copenhagen’s VEGA venue. Their first single, “This Abyss,” was described by Metal Hammer UK as “astounding,” and praised for its high-level execution in combining hip hop with black metal.
Just ahead of the Metal Blade announcement, Gradience independently released a new single titled “Lucid,” featuring Ghost Iris. The track expands their sonic range while staying rooted in the chaos they’ve become known for — pairing towering vocals with heavy grooves and a sharpened emotional edge.
Markus “Bart” Grasseck, EU label manager for Metal Blade, sees the band as a natural fit: “We’re beyond excited to welcome Gradience to the Metal Blade family. Their innovation, intensity, and fearless creativity embody everything we stand for. The future of heavy music runs through bands like this.”
Gradience has also made a habit of pushing boundaries through collaboration, having previously worked with Hexis on “Crushed By The Tide” and UK-based Love Is Noise on “Save Me.” These joint efforts reflect a band less interested in fitting a mold and more focused on creating friction between sounds and ideas.
With Metal Blade behind them and their next chapter already in motion, the band’s trajectory continues to lean into unpredictability, resistance, and raw force.
