WITHERSCAPE have now launched their second single from their upcoming sophomore release, The Northern Sanctuary arriving July 22nd, 2016 via Century Media Records.
Check out the lyric video (designed by Cloud Music Typography) for the extremely catchy track "In The Eyes Of Idols" here: https://youtu.be/Fcj2w4R0cz4
WITHERSCAPE features singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire Dan Swanö (ex Edge Of Sanity/Bloodbath, Nightingale, etc.) on vocals/keyboards/drums pairing up with fellow Swedish multi-instrumentalist Ragnar Widerberg on guitars/bass. Swanö checked in to comment about the song and the album's lyrical storyline as follows:
"There is a 50 year jump in the conceptual time line since "The Inheritance". The Northern Sanctuary" picks up where we left off with the "The New Tomorrow" EP. The main character "Mannen i vitt" (The man in white) has now restored the house where all the horror initially happened and "Fristaden i Norr" (The Northern Sanctuary) is open for business! He rents out rooms to people from the big cities, who are aiming for some peaceful northern Swedish silence. But the entity still haunts the house and "Mannen i vitt" is possessed by it, so consequently he/it does terrible things to the "patients". Since the house is built on one of the gates to hell, there's a ritual taking place, opening the hellish dimension from where the evil entity once came, so it can go back there..."
Once again, lyricist Paul Kuhr (Novembers Doom) fleshed out the story invented by the band and contributed the lyrics for The Northern Sanctuary. In regards to the lyrics for "In The Eyes Of Idols", he had this to say:
"Daily life in the Sanctuary begins. Breakfast, social interaction, Aqua Therapy. The man in white struggles with his faith and prayer against the conventional methods he uses to cure the sick. Extreme procedures uncover oddities in behavior with the most severely mentally ill. Pushing the patients to their limits uncover "Gifts" within the strong. Unexplainable, and beautiful, powers that Science Fiction is based on. Praying for the answers, the man in white is met with other thoughts..."
The album's opening track, "Wake Of Infinity", was previously launched online and can be checked out here: https://youtu.be/yYC0MWb3aFo
The track-listing for WITHERSCAPE's "The Northern Sanctuary" album reads as follows:
WITHERSCAPE - "The Northern Sanctuary" (46:59):
1. Wake Of Infinity (04:38)
2. In The Eyes Of Idols (03:58)
3. Rapture Ballet (04:25)
4. The Examiner (05:03)
5. Marionette (04:37)
6. Divinity (03:02)
7. God Of Ruin (05:32)
8. The Northern Sanctuary (13:44)
9. Vila I Frid (01:54)
The LP version will come as a Gatefold 180gr vinyl release in its "full dynamic mix" and include a poster (see above for the design!) and the full standard album on CD as bonus. Multiple colors are available and listed below. Pre-orders for The Northern Sanctuary are available now via CM Distro, check here for the various physical options: https://smarturl.it/NSCMDISTRO
Black (unlimited)
Transparent Red (limited to 100x copies, EU webshop)
Clear (limited to 200x copies, EU webshop / CM Distro EU)
Neon Orange (limited to 200x copies, CM Distro USA)
Pre-orders for The Northern Sanctuary are available now via CM Distro, check here for the various physical options: https://smarturl.it/NSCMDISTRO
Digital pre-orders are available at the following retailers:
https://smarturl.it/NSiTUNES
https://smarturl.it/NSAMAZON
https://smarturl.it/NSAMAZONMP3
Following up on the refreshing impact of 2013's much acclaimed debut album The Inheritance ("Album of the month" by Germany's Rock Hard magazine and position # 97 in the official German sales charts) and 2014's complimentary The New Tomorrow EP, The Northern Sanctuary is yet another mesmerizing and dense conceptual album, enhanced by breathtakingly powerful artwork courtesy of Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák / www.hjules.com (Nightingale, Destruction, Tyr, etc.).
WITHERSCAPE's The Northern Sanctuary seamlessly blends the best elements of the band's 70's/80's Prog/Hardrock and even AOR roots with contemporary, yet always atmospheric and subtle extreme Metal. Its infectious catchiness will doubtlessly appeal to the passionate followers of Swanö's diverse artistic catalogue, but also to fans of bands like Opeth, Amorphis or Symphony X.
WITHERSCAPE Line-Up:
Dan Swanö - Vocals, Keyboards and Drums
Ragnar Widerberg - Guitars and Bass
WITHERSCAPE Discography:
The Inheritance - 2013
The New Tomorrow - EP 2014
The Northern Sanctuary - 2016
WITHERSCAPE Online:
www.witherscape.com
www.facebook.com/witherscape
www.danswano.com
