Secular Upheaval
Progressive / Experimental / Alternative Rock – Athens, Greece
About
Formed in November 2022 in Athens, Greece, Secular Upheaval are a four-piece progressive and experimental rock band built around an unconventional lineup of two bass guitars, drums and vocals.
Rather than treating the absence of a conventional guitar as a limitation, the band has made it a fundamental part of its identity. The two basses occupy distinctly different musical and sonic roles, creating a sound that combines deep grooves and low-end weight with distorted riffs, lead lines, atmospheric textures and guitar-like tones.
At the heart of this approach is the interplay between Dora’s groove-oriented bass and Constantinos’ lead and effects-driven bass, supported by Dimitra’s dynamic and precise drumming and Chrysi’s versatile, emotionally charged vocals.
The band’s music moves between progressive and experimental rock, alternative and indie influences, while incorporating elements of stoner and darker, goth-influenced sounds. Their compositions are characterised by dynamic contrasts, unconventional structures, atmospheric passages and emotionally intense songwriting.
The Two-Bass Approach
The defining feature of Secular Upheaval is not simply having two bass players, but the fact that the two instruments serve different musical functions within the same compositions.
This creates a dialogue between the two instruments: one bass establishes the groove and weight while the other expands the melodic, harmonic and textural space around it.
The result is a sound that is simultaneously heavy, melodic, atmospheric and experimental, without relying on a conventional guitar.
The Members
Chrysi – Vocals
Chrysi’s voice is one of the band’s most expressive elements. Her vocal range moves from delicate and intimate passages to raspy textures and powerful highs, allowing her to adapt her delivery to the constantly shifting dynamics of the band’s music.
Rather than relying on a single vocal style, she uses different vocal colours and techniques to communicate the emotional character of each song, moving naturally between vulnerability, tension and intensity.
Constantinos – Lead Bass / Songwriter
Constantinos is the band’s lead bassist and the primary songwriter behind Secular Upheaval’s compositions.
His role extends well beyond the traditional function of a bass player. Through the use of pitch shifting, fuzz, modulation, delay and bass synthesis, he uses the instrument as a source of riffs, lead lines, solos, textures and atmosphere.
His Squier/Fender Jaguar Bass, combined with his effects setup and Marshall amplification, forms a significant part of the band’s characteristic sound. The Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork II is particularly important to his approach, allowing him to expand the tonal and melodic range of the instrument through octave and pitch-shifting effects.
His compositions provide the foundation from which the four members develop the final arrangements, shaping the rhythmic interplay, vocal dynamics and contrasting sonic textures that define Secular Upheaval.
Dora – Bass
Dora provides the band’s primary low-end foundation.
Playing an Elrick NJS 5-string, she focuses mainly on clean, deep and engaging bass lines, working closely with the drums to establish the groove and rhythmic weight of each composition.
Her more traditional bass role deliberately contrasts with Constantinos’ heavily processed lead approach, creating the central sonic balance around which the band’s two-bass concept is built.
Dimitra – Drums
Dimitra’s drumming combines precision, groove and intensity.
Her playing provides the rhythmic backbone of the band while responding to the changing dynamics and unconventional structures of the compositions. From restrained and atmospheric passages to heavier and more energetic sections, the drums continuously shape the movement and tension of the music.
Music & Influences
Secular Upheaval draw inspiration from a broad spectrum of rock and alternative music rather than restricting themselves to a single genre.
Progressive and experimental rock form the core of their approach, while elements of alternative, indie, stoner and darker, goth-influenced sounds contribute to the band’s overall atmosphere.
At the core of Secular Upheaval’s music is the songwriting of Constantinos, whose compositions provide the foundation for the band’s distinctive sound. From these initial ideas, the four members shape the arrangements collectively, developing the rhythmic interplay, vocal dynamics and contrasting sonic textures that define the band’s music.
Their compositions favour unconventional structures, dynamic transitions and the interaction of contrasting sonic textures. Heavy sections can give way to spacious atmospheric passages, while melodic ideas can develop into distorted and rhythmically complex arrangements.
The lyrical dimension of Secular Upheaval is shaped by Chrysi, who writes the band’s lyrics. Her writing explores introspective and psychologically charged themes, often placing the individual within spaces of isolation, uncertainty and emotional conflict. Rooms, corridors, shadows, the ocean and other imagined or symbolic environments become extensions of an inner world, reflecting states of fear, disorientation, loneliness and confinement.
Together, the music and lyrics create a space where heaviness and atmosphere, tension and release, darkness and the possibility of escape coexist. The result is a sound shaped not only by contrasting musical textures, but also by a lyrical world in which psychological states often take on physical form.
Releases
Secular Upheaval released their self-titled debut EP, Secular Upheaval, in May 2025. The EP presents the band’s distinctive two-bass approach and establishes the sonic world that defines the group: deep low-end foundations, experimental textures, progressive structures and emotionally charged vocals.
The EP features “Within My Room (IOP),” “Ocean,” “Shadows,” “Corridors” and “Formol.”
In 2026, Secular Upheaval entered the next chapter of their musical journey with the release of two new singles. “Death’s Rejection” was released on 24 June 2026, followed by “Guilt” on 5 August 2026.
Both singles serve as the first releases from the band’s upcoming debut full-length album, currently in development and expected in the coming months. The album will expand on the sound established with the debut EP while further exploring the band’s distinctive combination of progressive structures, heavy and atmospheric passages, experimental bass textures and emotionally intense songwriting.
The upcoming album is planned for release in both digital and physical formats, marking the band’s first full-length release and the next major milestone in their evolution.
Live
Since their formation, Secular Upheaval have developed their live presence through performances across Athens’ alternative and underground music scene.
The band has performed at venues including:
- Blackbird / B.U.M.S.
- Nomads
- Backstage Music Studios
- Architecture Live Stage (Gazi)
- Level69
- Death Disco
- Faust Athens
- Underathens Association
- Rockstreet Bar
- N.A.O.S. (Not An Ordinary Space)
- AN Club
Over the course of their live activity, Secular Upheaval have shared bills with artists and bands including Great Voyager, Element Zero, Kokkinia, The Handyman Project, The Pigeonhole Project, Volynka, Dramma Princess, Nex Redian, TrïpTease, Immortal Sun, Sons of July, Muth Labben, Spinball, Tapewarm Electric, Trivial Dimes and The Frapps.
Appearances include a November 2025 performance at Architecture Live Stage (Gazi) alongside Spinball and Element Zero and an AN Club appearance in June 2026 alongside TrïpTease and Immortal Sun.
The band’s live sets combine the weight and intensity of alternative rock with the atmospheric and experimental qualities of their recorded material, with the two-bass setup becoming an especially distinctive part of their live identity.
Current Direction
With two new singles released in 2026 and their debut full-length album currently in development, Secular Upheaval are entering a new stage of their evolution.
The band is currently looking to expand its live presence through new venues, festivals and events, both within Greece and beyond, while continuing to develop and present the material for their upcoming debut full-length album, which will be released in both digital and physical formats.
Official Links
Instagram: @secularupheaval.band
YouTube: Secular Upheaval on YouTube
Spotify: Secular Upheaval on Spotify
Bandcamp: Secular Upheaval on Bandcamp
TikTok: @secular_upheaval on TikTok
Apple Music: Secular Upheaval on Apple Music
For promoters and venues:
Download the official Secular Upheaval Electronic Press Kit and Technical Rider.
Download Electronic Press Kit (PDF)
Download Technical Rider (PDF)
