Swedish melodic metal supergroup Cyhra have returned with a powerful new chapter in their evolving catalogue, releasing the towering new single Box With Spirits. The track continues the band’s reputation for merging high-impact modern metal with the melodic instincts that each member has cultivated through decades with genre-defining acts including Amaranthe, The Halo Effect, Kamelot, The Crown and Suburban Tribe. Cyhra’s latest work leans into atmospheric tension, cinematic synth textures and an unshakeable rhythmic drive, reaffirming their status as one of Scandinavia’s standout contemporary metal collectives.
Formed in 2016 by Jake E-best known for co-founding Amaranthe-and former In Flames guitarist Jesper Strömblad, Cyhra began as an unexpected meeting point for musicians who had already shaped the sound of Nordic metal. Their configuration brought with it a distinct creative chemistry: Jake E’s affinity for widescreen melody, Strömblad’s sharp riff architecture, and the rhythmic precision of drummer Alex Landenburg, whose résumé extends from Kamelot to Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody. Completed by Finnish guitarist Euge Valovirta and Swedish guitarist Marcus Sunesson, the line-up mirrors a cross-section of the past 25 years of modern European metal.
Box With Spirits pushes that legacy forward with a thematic weight befitting the band’s veteran line-up. Built around sweeping hooks and urgent refrains, the single explores the emotional cost of concealment-how individuals box away fear, vulnerability and truth-and the internal ghosts that form in the process. It is a continuation of Cyhra’s long-standing lyrical approach, which frequently blends introspection with hard-edged storytelling.
Frontman Jake E describes the song as an examination of the “architecture of avoidance,” unpacking the metaphors concealed in the title. Spirits, he notes, refer both to ghosts and to the lure of the liquor cabinet, the vices and comforts people turn to when self-confrontation feels impossible. The heart, locked in the same metaphorical box, becomes a symbol of self-preservation, safety and emotional paralysis. The single interrogates the courage required to open that box and face its contents-an idea delivered through Jake E’s soaring vocal phrasing and the band’s layered instrumental tension.
Since their debut album Letters To Myself arrived in 2017, Cyhra have stood apart from many emerging melodic metal acts by fusing polished production with a willingness to bend genre expectations. The album’s mix of accessible melodic lines and muscular modern metal won immediate praise, leading to a major North American tour supporting Sabaton and Kreator. As the band’s momentum grew, their chemistry solidified further, even as bassist Peter Iwers departed and Valovirta stepped in to manage dual guitar and bass duties.
Their 2019 follow-up No Halos In Hell expanded Cyhra’s global footprint, driven by the breakout single Out Of My Life, which has now surpassed 11 million Spotify streams. With its combination of groove-rich riffing, pop-leaning choruses and introspective lyricism, the album connected strongly across Europe, culminating in tours with attle Beast, Delain and appearances at major festivals including Masters Of Rock, Bloodstock Open Air, Sabaton Open Air and 70,000 Tons Of Metal.
In 2020, former The Crown and Engel guitarist Marcus Sunesson transitioned from a live role to a full-time member, bolstering the band’s triple-guitar configuration. The pandemic years then afforded Cyhra the rare opportunity to take a measured approach to their next album, resulting in 2023’s The Vertigo Trigger. The record saw the band sharpen their melodic attack and refine their modern metal blueprint during a period of enforced stillness. Touring returned in 2023 and 2024 with headline dates in Finland and Japan and a Scandinavian run with Everygrey.
Now quietly developing their fourth studio album, Cyhra are using Box With Spirits as both a thematic and stylistic bridge. The single signals a continued evolution-heavy but melodic, polished but emotionally candid, and delivered with the confidence of a band entering its tenth year with clarity of purpose.
Cyhra in 2025 consists of Jake E (vocals, keys), Euge Valovirta (guitars, bass), Jesper Strömblad (bass, guitars), Marcus Sunesson (guitars) and Alex Landenburg (drums), a line-up whose collective history includes chapters with in Flames, Engel, Shining, Annihilator, Axxis, Amaranthe and more. Their past achievements set a high bar, but Box With Spirits suggests their next era may be their most compelling yet.
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