Dundalk IT student releases folk metal album with Aexylium

Leandro Pessina, a Government of Ireland Scholar at DkIT completing a PhD on music and tourism in Louth has released a new album, ‘Myth of Mankind’, with the international folk metal band Aexylium on Rockshots Records.

The album builds on the journey started with their previous release, “The Fifth Season”, which introduced a renewed sound and creative direction for the band featuring new frontman, Sam Biganzoli. Recorded by Davide Tavecchia at Twilight Studio in Italy, the album features striking artwork designed by Gustavo Sazes, an artist known for his collaborations with Arch Enemy, Epica, Machine Head and more.

Flute player Leandro is a graduate of the University of Milan, University of Bergamo and the Milan Music Academy. A geographer with a keen interest in music, he was awarded a prestigious Irish Research Council scholarship to undertake his doctoral research on music and tourism in Louth supervised by Dr Daithí Kearney DkIT and Dr Ioannis Tsioulakis (QUB).

During the course of his studies, Leandro has been awarded a number of prizes including the Andrew Goodwin Memorial Trust essay prize, as well as bursaries from EUGEO, the Finnish Society for Ethnomusicology, IASPM-Norden, the Royal Music Association and British Forum for Ethnomusicology.

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Since forming in 2014, Aexylium has been a recognised name in the European metal scene, performing at festivals such as Dong Open Air, Montelago Celtic Festival, and Malpaga Folk & Metal, and sharing the stage with bands like Blind Guardian, Elvenking, Wind Rose, and Týr. Leandro is also a member of the Oriel Traditional Orchestra, an ensemble-in-residence at DkIT and was a member of the ensemble for Brigid, Lady of Light, staged at An Táin Arts Centre last year as part of the Brigid1500 celebrations.

Find out more about Aexylium at: https://rockshots.eu/aexylium