Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Vancouver, BC’s SVNEATR has today announced their third album, Never Return, set to be released via Prosthetic Records on May 10. Alongside the album announcement, the progressive black metal group has shared the lead single and title track with an accompanying music video.

Stream Never Return (single) via Apple Music | TIDAL | Deezer | Bandcamp and Spotify
Pre-order Never Return here.

Speaking on the album announcement guitarist and vocalist Vitharr Monteith comments: “On behalf of SVNEATR we are so stoked to be able to announce our third album, Never Return will come out via Prosthetic Records on May 10! To have the confidence of a label like Prosthetic behind us, fueled us to write something special and brought forth our most cathartic record to date. It’s some of our darkest material we’ve written and has more instrumental experimentation than ever before!

“We’ve believed in this record for a long time so I’m excited for people to finally be able to check it out. It’s the perfect introduction for new fans and to our old faithful who have believed in us from the jump… you’ll see.”

Of the lead single and music video, Vitharr adds: “Never Return is the title track and the perfect introduction to the album. It’s a dark and riffy track about where we were when we set out to write a new collection of songs.

“Stylistically, it’s roots are black metal but what was exciting about this track was how much influence we took from 80’s classic metal. It has a hooky chorus interwoven with twin guitar harmonies and lyrics that, while drenched in black metal melancholy, are about that craving and hunger to perform live.

“The video was shot during a record setting cold snap. It was somewhere around -15 to -20c and we did it at night! Frost formed on our guitar cases between takes and it affected the batteries in the cameras and the lighting. Grim and frostbitten indeed.”

Ushering in the decade with climate emergency, a global pandemic and the ever growing corporate hegemony over community needs and spaces, the primary spark that brought Never Return to life was one of an internal and external world in a state of paralysis. Resignation in the face of despair, however, was never going to be on the cards for SVNEATR.

Commencing self-recording in 2022, with vocals and string arrangements recorded by Ryan Shepard at Little Red Sounds as well as mixing, the quartet’s ambitions for Never Return were realised in full thanks in part to a decade of honing their craft to a point of musical and self-actualization. Where previous releases saw SVNEATR display their dichotomous musicianship in atmospheric passages, Never Return shines with progressive influences taking up more presence.

Whilst black and death metal remain a large part of their musical DNA, Never Return sees SVNEATR introduce cello and contrabass via Shawn Hillman (bass), as well as vocal chanting and clean singing from Monteith. These embellishments bring a celestial quality to their more excoriating passages – see …And When the Storm Comes, Reaper Of The Universe. Elsewhere the melding of the personal and political is found on the imposing title track, as Vitharr and James Readman’s guitar work shines atop bassist Shawn Hillman and drummer Matthew Logan’s palpably intense tempo changes.

Following mastering work by Brad Boatright, SVNEATR brought in self-taught Vancouver, BC artist Basia Swieczko to create the stark and ominous album cover. Through the tumult and toil that provided the impetus of its creation, Never Return stands as a defiant kickback against fatalism.

Never Return tracklist:
1. Mechanical Wolves
2. Never Return
3. …And When Comes the Storm
4. Omen
5. Blackout
6. Reaper of the Universe

SVNEATR is:
Guitars/Vocals: Vitharr Monteith
Guitars: James Readman
Bass: Shawn Hillman
Drums: Matthew Logan