Svalbard
From:
Bristol,
United Kingdom
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Svalbard News
Below is our complete Svalbard news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Employed To Serve Premiere New Music Video
British metalcore act Employed To Serve have premiered their latest single, “Atonement,” streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below. The track features a guest appearance from Will Ramos of symphonic deathcore titans Lorna Shore and will appear on the band’s upcoming album, “Fallen Star,” slated for release on April 25th via Spinefarm Records.
David Brodsky (Cattle Decapitation, The Black Dahlia Murder) directed the accompanying music video for the song, which you can watch below. Ramos isn’t the only notable guest on “Fallen Star”—the album also features Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage and Serena Cherry of Svalbard.
Guitarist Sammy Urwin commented on the track: More...
Svalbard Shares "To Wilt Beneath The Weight" Video
Svalbard are proud to release a video for their track "To Wilt Beneath The Weight," taken from their breathtaking latest studio album "The Weight Of The Mask." The track is a combative clincher to the record, acknowledging the dark reality of personal demons and the fight against them. The video beautifully captures Svalbard's highly-charged performance of the track at Cult Of Luna's Beyond The Redshift festival in London last year.
To celebrate the release of "The Weight Of The Mask," Svalbard recently announced a UK and European tour for March, with Norwegian psychedelic proggers Enslaved and American metal band Wayfarer.
Svalbard's Serena Cherry commented:
"We filmed this live video at The O2 Forum in London, which is the very same place that I saw one of my first ever metal shows! (It was Mudvayne!) The feeling of walking out onto that stage where I have seen so many inspiring metal musicians play was surreal. Truly one of those 'pinch me' moments. To have this wonderful memory of performing at Beyond the Redshift is very special to me, it was one of those awesome festivals where you get to watch and meet so many fantastic artists.
"'To Wilt Beneath The Weight' is about the pressures and sacrifices you make as a touring musician. The lyrics explore the strain it can put on relationships and the challenging times that come with being away so often. This song features my favourite Svalbard lyric, which is 'grit your teeth when they've just been broken.' Which represents the determination against all odds to keep persevering with your passions.
"It also features the lyric I find the most painful, which is: 'completely at the mercy of every form of insincerity.' Every time I scream that line on stage I choke up because it feels so raw and real." More...
Enslaved Premieres New Bonus Track "Gangandi"
Enslaved will mark the one-year anniversary of their latest album, "Heimdal," with a deluxe version set to release on March 1. The deluxe edition includes a bonus track titled "Gangandi," alternative versions of two album tracks ("Congelia" and "Forest Dweller") featuring cellist Jo Quail, and the complete recording of The Otherworldly Big Band Experience – a streaming event featuring Enslaved and fellow Norwegian prog band Shaman Elephant from 2022.
Check out "Gangandi" streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below.
Explains Enslaved vocalist and bassist Grutle Kjellson: More...
Brutal Assault Unveils 23 Additional Bands
Legendary death metal act Carcass is set to make a triumphant return to the Fortress after a five-year hiatus. Joining them is Cytotoxin, promising an onslaught of toxic and brutal death metal. Death/goregrind force from Belgium Aborted will join the lineup alongside Sweden's Dark Tranquillity, renowned for their signature Gothenburg melodic death metal sound. Vltimas, the apocalypse riders, will complete this imaginary death metal circle.
American band Escuela Grind will bring chaos with their grindcore, followed by Misery Index and Rotten Sound, known for their mixes of death and grind genres. The onslaught will culminate with Pig Destroyer.
Representing the black metal genre are American act Akhlys, underground sensation Yellow Eyes, and folk psychedelic ensemble Hexvessel.
From the gothic scene, the lineup will welcome industrial favorites Deathsars and the post-punk-tinged Unto Others. Finnish melodic outfit Kalmah will arrive from the dark swamps, and heavy-rock-metal band Soil will come from overseas. Cynic, known as "tech metallers," will present a special Focus set in celebration of the re-release of their iconic debut album. Additionally, acts like Master Boot Record, with their 8-bit computer sounds, and the brutally honest post-hardcore group Svalbard will offer their unique musical perspectives.
Prepare for some hardcore action as Madball makes a comeback to Brutal Assault, after six years, promising a lively moshpit. Also making their debut at BA are established bands like Cancer Bats, Show Me The Body known for their innovative musical identity, and This Is Hell, recognized for their intense and energetic live performances in the metal punk scene.
Newly Announced Bands: More...
Enslaved Premiere New Live Music Video
Enslaved has debuted a live video for their song “Sequence,” filmed during the band’s 2021 livestream event, ‘The Otherworldly Big Band Experience’. This unique performance occurred on the winter solstice in Bergen, Norway, featuring the progressive black metal group alongside members of Shaman Elephant. Check out "Sequence" streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below.
Keep an eye out for the band on their upcoming tour alongside Svalbard & Wayfarer in the new year: More...
Svalbard Debuts "How To Swim Down" Video
Svalbard has released the third single from their forthcoming new studio album, "The Weight Of The Mask," due out on October 6th. The track, titled "How To Swim Down" is Svalbard's most unique and moving work to-date, featuring heart-rending, ethereal violin parts from Liam Phelan, and a profound vocal performance from Serena Cherry.
The track is accompanied by a beautiful animated video, created by Boy Tillkens. The heart-breaking animation is a delicate portrayal of humanity, detailing the tenderness and strength found in existence. You can check it out below.
Svalbard's Serena Cherry commented:
"This song is about the exquisite pain and sorrowful beauty of unrequited love. I think it's the saddest, most heart-breaking song we've ever written. Lyrically, the starting point of the verse is about concealment of adoration, before the chorus gives way to realising and accepting a fate of loving someone quietly from afar.
"I cannot watch the music video for 'How To Swim Down' without crying. Boy has captured the bittersweet emotion of the song so delicately, it's an incredibly moving piece of animation to watch.
"Musically, 'How To Swim Down' saw us dive into unchartered waters with Liam adding many layers of mournful violin parts onto the track. Finally, violins - for the first time in Svalbard history! It feels so exciting to have new instruments on a song. Another first is that How To Swim Down features only clean vocals, no screams. I wanted the vocal delivery of these lyrics to feel as though I'm whispering a secret to someone whilst they're sleeping. My vocals here represent that lonely type of communication, singing to yourself in an empty house. It's a private, selfless love song, where only the listener knows of my heartache." More...
Svalbard To Release New Album In October
Today, Svalbard are proud to announce their ardently anticipated new studio album, "The Weight Of The Mask," due out on October 6th via Nuclear Blast Records.
White-hot new single "Faking It" has also been revealed, accompanied by a video. The track lays bare a poignant, candid account of dealing with depression and coming to the realisation that you are "faking it" to just get by.
Svalbard's intention with their music is to make people feel less alone, and to be there for people in their darkest times. "The Weight Of The Mask" bravely lays out experiences of mental illness and depression, hoping to help destigmatise these topics.
Svalbard's Serena Cherry stated;
"If the previous record was about facing your demons, then 'The Weight Of The Mask' is about fighting them with everything you've got. You can literally hear the depression transform into aggression in these songs. 'The Weight Of The Mask' was admittedly a challenging album to make because we cut so deep this time around, it was a painful but ultimately cathartic process. This album is the sound of two years worth of internal darkness boiling away inside and then finally being unleashed.
"'Faking It' is a song about feeling deprived of meaningful human connection due to depression acting like a wall that shuts you off from others. It addresses the ways in which those who suffer with depression can feel guilted into putting on a happy mask. The lyrics are a reflection on happiness as a social obligation and how scarily good you can become at deceiving everyone around you into thinking that you're fine when you're not. With Faking It, we are both acknowledging the pressure for forced positivity, the fear that people won't like you if you're sad and also questioning where the root of this intolerance towards depression lies." More...
Svalbard Premiere New Single & Music Video
UK-based metal outfit Svalbard premiere their new single and music video by the name of “Eternal Spirits“, streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below.
Explains frontwoman/guitarist Serena Cherry: More...
Russian Circles Premiere New Track "Betrayal"
Another single from instrumental post-metal outfit Russian Circles‘ upcoming studio full-length “Gnosis” has premiered online and is streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below. The album is scheduled for an August 19th release date by Sargent House.
You can catch the band live at the below booked dates: More...
Svalbard Signs With Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast Records are proud to announce that Svalbard have signed to the label globally. Formed in Bristol UK in 2011, the blackened post-hardcore group have since released three studio albums, three EPs and several split releases. Their exceptional latest studio album 'When I Die, Will I Get Better?' was dubbed by Metal Hammer as "the most important British metal record of 2020". A career milestone, it cemented Svalbard as a powerful and vital component of our global music scene.
Svalbard's Serena Cherry stated,
"I have many fond memories of visiting my local record shop and buying anything that had the Nuclear Blast logo stamped on it. You always knew you were in for a tasty metal treat with a Nuclear Blast band! Most days I have to pinch myself that we have now joined Nuclear Blast, it is a real dream come true for me to work with this amazing label."
Svalbard's Liam Phelan stated,
"I'm absolutely thrilled that we have been welcomed into the Nuclear Blast family with open arms and cannot wait to work with this iconic label."
Nathan Barley Phillips, Senior Nuclear Blast A&R stated,
"I'm absolutely delighted to welcome Svalbard to Nuclear Blast! Ever since I heard the raw and visceral emotion of 'Disparity' back in 2015, I was an instant fan.
With biting lyrics and a keen observation of today's societal issues, Svalbard continue to be one of the most important and challenging voices in the heavy scene today. I’m delighted to be able to amplify this voice as the band get set to make an indelible mark on our genre."
Russian Circles Premiere New Song "Conduit"
Russian Circles announce that their eighth studio full-length “Gnosis” will be released on August 19th via Sargent House. A first advance track from it “Conduit“, has premiered streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you below. The new album was recorded and mixed by Converge‘s Kurt Ballou at his God City Studio in Salem, MA.
In other news the group have confirmed their North American and European touring plans: More...
Cult Of Luna To Tour Europe With Alcest
After the long, dark time that fans have had to go without the mesmerising beauty of Alcest's live shows, the French duo are proud to share some great news - Alcest will support Swedish post metal band Cult Of Luna on their 2022 European tour. Alcest and Cult Of Luna will be joined on the road by Svalbard, and will be playing at London venue The Forum on 12th March. This special show will be a part of Cult Of Luna's self-curated Beyond the Redshift festival, which is returning to London for the first time in eight years!
Alcest's Neige states:
"We are very pleased to have been invited by Cult Of Luna as special guests on their upcoming European tour. This is going to be great and we can’t wait to finally see you all again!"
Johannes from Cult of Luna commented on the London show:
"Eight years after our first Beyond the Redshift festival in London, we're doing it again. The line-up is curated by us and we are determined to bring you a bunch of our favourite artists and bands you didn’t know you were a fan of. Bands are being booked as I write this and we’re going to announce the full line-up later this summer. It will be la grande finale of the tour and we hope to see you there."
The tour dates are as follows: More...
Noctule (Svalbard) Premiere "Labyrinthian"
Svalbard frontwoman Serena Cherry's solo project Noctule premiere a new song entitled "Labyrinthian", taken from their upcoming new album "Wretched Abyss". The record will be out on May 28th via Translation Loss Records/Church Road Records/Through Love Records.
Explains Cherry: More...
Svalbard Frontwoman's Solo Project Premiere Video
Svalbard frontwoman Serena Cherry's solo project Noctule premiere the title track to their debut album “Wretched Abyss”. The premiere arrives with a music video streaming for you below. The record will be out on May 28th via Translation Loss Records/Church Road Records/Through Love Records.
Says Cherry of the track: More...
The Ocean Announces European Tour Dates
On 25th September, The Ocean will release their 8th full-length, "Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic," via Metal Blade Records (CD / digital) and the band's own Pelagic Records (vinyl). In 2018, The Ocean released "Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic" - the first half of a sprawling but superbly cohesive paleontology concept album. Now, the group is ready to release the eagerly-awaited concluding parts of the Phanerozoic journey.
The Ocean has now announced a European tour set to kick off January 7th in Wiesbaden, Germany. Check below for full dates. Support comes from PG. Lost, Hypnose and Svalbard.
The Ocean comments: "This tour has been planned for a long time already and despite the unprecedented situation we’re all currently going through, we decided to announce it and put tickets on sale now. We hope that this will serve as a strong positive statement for bands, promoters and music fans alike. As this develops, we have to assess, analyse and make the right decisions for everyone involved. The tour going ahead in early 2021 relies on many elements to fall into place, and if it can’t go ahead, then we have a backup routing in place already for later in the year, and all tickets purchased for this tour will be transferrable to that. Be assured that we will keep assessing this situation as we head later into 2020, and be in communication with everyone. Much love and we hope to see you guys out there in January!"
The tour dates are as follows: More...
Svalbard Premiere Pre-Release Full-Album Stream
UK metallic hardcore army Svalbard unleash "It's Hard To Have Hope", their blistering, forward-thinking, and socially vibrant new album, in full. The new effort will see a Friday, May 25th release and is available for pre-order now via Translation Loss Records, Holy Roar, Through Love Records, and Tokyo Jupiter Records.
Check out now "It's Hard To Have Hope" in its entirety below.