Within Ceres’ New Song ‘Deep State’ is a Scorching Takedown of Media Corruption

Goa prog metal band Within Ceres kick off 2025 with a commentary on the state of news media and a call to think for oneself on “Deep State.”

While the title is no doubt inspired by the conspiracy theory-driven idea of a deep state, there’s a lot more at play. The band says in a press release, “The newest single ‘Deep State’ describes the issues and biases within mainstream media. The eternal dichotomy of left and right, liberalism and conservatism, plagues the everyday lives of many. The band talks about individualism, not conforming to the herd mentality and promotes the idea of thinking for yourself by research and fact-finding.”

Inspired by a bit of djent in the vein of bands like Monuments and Veil of Maya, Within Ceres’ vocalist Arnold Carvalho also injects a bit of rap influences on the track, with plenty of chaos in a way that’s aligned with all the modern metal coming out globally. The band clearly swear by massive intros and outros, with grandiose choruses as well, one that swells to give way to more groovy, odd-time djent riffs.

The band’s producer-guitarist and songwriter Odin De Sa says he took a more “laidback approach” to writing this time. “Deep State” also features vocalist Carvalho, Kadesh D’Souza on guitars, bass by Aaron Braganza and Valiston Fernandes and synth by Naizian Fernandes.

In August 2024, Within Ceres released their first song in four years, “Bloodlust,” which was every bit a return to form, bringing together djent goodness, pummeling breakdowns and growls from hell. The lyrics are part of a lore that the band is building. In a statement, the band said, “‘Bloodlust’ is a gripping tale of a soldier scarred by the ravages of war within Ceres. After years of relentless combat, she returns to a peaceful home, only to find that the violence she endured has left her unable to adapt.”

Watch the video for “Deep State” below.