FATES WARNING Release New Album, ‘Long Day Good Night’, THE OCEAN Premiere “Siberian Traps” Tour Documentary, ACCUSER Launch Lyric Video For New Single, “Misled Obedience”, DVNE Release New EP, ‘Omega Severer’, IOTUNN Danish Metallers Sign Worldwide Deal With Metal Blade Records.
Fates Warning have been a formidable presence in progressive metal for more than 35 years, helping to shape and drive the genre without ever compromising their integrity or losing relevance. They return in 2020 with Long Day Good Night, the most epic and longest album of their storied career – mixed by Joe Barresi. “The styles of music we’ve written distinguish this record from the rest of our catalogue,” states vocalist Ray Alder. “There are some songs with electronics and some with a nice ethereal feel, as well as some pretty straightforward grooves, at least for us. And there are also some pretty heavy songs. We tried to give the listener a host of different things to listen to, as opposed to an album where every song sounds the same.” As such, the album is something of a rollercoaster ride, moving through various moods and making for perhaps their most vital release to date.
Guitarist Jim Matheos began writing the album in mid-2019, working closely with Alder for about a year, honing the songs, completing 13 for their 13th full-length – which un-coincidentally has a total running time of 72:22. Despite their long history of making records, Alder makes it clear that the songs take a lot of work to realize. “Like all albums, nothing comes easy. It’s quite a process to go from the idea to the actual finished song. Sometimes you think you’re done with it, then you hear something else and you have to try that. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but you at least have to try it just so you know that in the end you’ve done everything possible to make it as good as it can be. Jim and I spent practically every day for the last year writing this album. I am very happy with the outcome, and with the blend of styles. I guess I could say that this album represents all of the years that we have been together.”
The record also features guest appearances from touring guitarist Mike Abdow, who contributed some solos, plus Porcupine Tree/The Pineapple Thief drummer Gavin Harrison plays on “When Snow Falls”, and “Under The Sun” sees the band incorporating a full string section for the first time. The result of all the hard work put in by all involved is undeniable, and with Long Day Good Night, Fates Warning once again take a bold step forward into the next phase of their exhilarating career.
Purchase and stream Long Day Good Night in full now at: metalblade.com/fateswarning
The Ocean recently released their 8th full-length album via Metal Blade Records (CD / digital) and the band’s own Pelagic Records (vinyl); Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic is their most successful album to date with the highest chart entries in the band’s history, including a phenomenal Top 10 entry in the Official German Album Charts.
Now, the band is releasing a stunning tour documentary from their 2019 Siberian Traps tour, which the band shot themselves. Presented by CVLT Nation, it can be viewed here.
Robin Staps comments: “One of the greatest adventures with this band was the 5 weeks ‘Siberian Traps’ tour last summer, which started in Belarus, Armenia and Georgia, then took us on a 10.000km ride from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, all across Russia and Kazakhstan from west to east, before concluding in Japan. We lived on trains for weeks. We had to leave half of our gear behind at the airport of Nur-Sultan, Kazachstan. We experienced the solitude of lake Baikal, the solemnity of Armenian monasteries, the exuberance of Georgian hospitality and the silent anonymity of Shibuya crowds.
Some of these moments were captured on film, by band members. We had no camera guy with us, nor any crew: this tour was just us. Our sound guy had second thoughts and bailed a week before the tour. Alex Kraudelt compiled these self-made snapshots into a silent documentary, after our return home.
We found the instrumental version of ‘Triassic’ to be the perfectly fitting soundtrack: also because parts of it were recorded during our one week stay in Yerevan, Armenia with traditional flutes and woodwinds player Hayk Karoyi Karapetyan, whom you will see in the opening and closing section of the film. The song itself was inspired by my own backpacking trips through the Middle East 15 years ago, long before the current wars ravaged the region.”
Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic can be streamed and purchased here: metalblade.com/theocean
On November 13th, Accuser will release their new self-titled album via Metal Blade Records.
For a preview of Accuser, a lyric video for the new single, “Misled Obedience”, can be viewed HERE.
Since they began flying the flag for German thrash in the 80s, Accuser have gone on to prove themselves one of the most enduring forces in global metal. With eleven full-lengths behind them, they return in 2020 with their latest masterwork: a blistering collection that captures everything that makes the band so vital, produced by longtime collaborator Martin Buchwalter (who has worked on five Accuser albums) and mastered by Dan Swanö. “You stay fresh through curiosity,” states vocalist/guitarist Frank Thoms. “Writing new songs keeps you fresh, and it is always exciting how things develop and how the listener reacts to them afterwards. This process never gets boring. It is always exciting and invites you to try new things.” The result is a dynamic album that is very much rooted in thrash, but still takes the listener through various moods and styles, further cementing Accuser’s status as leaders, not followers.
Last week, Dvne released a new 2-track, digital-only EP, entitled Omega Severer, via Metal Blade Records. Stream Omega Severer in full now here: metalblade.com/dvne
Dvne comments: “Due to the chaos that Covid19 has provided the whole music industry in 2020, our new full-length album will be released in spring 2021 alongside a string of tour dates. However, as we know our fans have been waiting patiently for new material, we’ve decided in the meantime to release this EP that links old and new together, and these two tracks do exactly that.
‘Omega Severer’ is the first glimpse of our upcoming album and its universe. It is a track that captures a lot of new elements for us, especially with the introduction of synth as a more prominent feature in the band.
‘Of Blade and Carapace’ is a recent re-recording of a track from our 2015 ‘Aurora Majesty’ EP. This track has always been special to us, so this EP is the perfect opportunity to share this fresh take of the song with you all.
We’d like to also take this opportunity to thank our new label Metal Blade Records for their constant support throughout what has been a difficult year for the whole music industry. We can’t wait to share everything we have planned with you next year, and we’ll see you out on the road in 2021.”
Formed in 2015, Iotunn (which is old Norse for “Giant”) entered the scene with their acclaimed EP, The Wizard Falls (2016), which was mixed by Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica, Morbid Angel, Blind Guardian, Rainbow) at Sweet Silence Studios. After some line-up changes, the band found their voice and narrator in March 2018: Jón Aldará (Hamferd), plus bassist Eskil Rask (Sunless Dawn) in October 2019. The quintet – completed by Jens Nicolai Gräs (guitars), Jesper Gräs (guitars), Bjørn Wind Andersen (drums) – then began work on their first full-length and Metal Blade Records debut: Access All Worlds.
Iotunn comments: “As we have worked intensely on creating ‘Access All Worlds’, we find our partnership with Metal Blade Records to be a culmination. We are proud and thankful of where we’re at right now. Metal Blade seems like the right home for us and we are convinced that the future looks bright!”
Mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, At the Gates, Dimmu Borgir) at Fredman Studios, Access All Worlds is set for an early 2021 release. Stay tuned for more Iotunn news coming soon!
