The new album from Norwegian Melodic Metal-act NERGARD is in the final mixing stages. The hightly anticipated follow up to 2013’s critical acclaimed “Memorial for a Wish” will see its release in April. “A Bit Closer To Heaven” is the brainchild of composer and mastermind of the NERGARD-project: Andreas Nergård.

The first albumtrailer has been released and features a sneak peek from the leadsingle “On Through The Storm” which features the singers Elize Ryd & Andi Kravljaca. Go to this link to watch it:

Andreas gives us some insight in the making of the song:
“I am very fortunate to work with such amazing singers like Elize and Andi. Andi and me have been working together since the recording of my debutalbum way back in 2011 and I really can’t see an end to our collaboration. It has been a constant pleasure since day one. Andi is such a great and easy guy to work with. We share the same vision of perfection, a constant struggle to make the best out of a song. I guess that’s the reason why we keep working together. This time he is even more involved in the album. He handles all the backingvocals + lead vocals on 4 songs.

Having Elize onboard is a blessing indeed. I’ve been in love with her voice since I first heard her sing on the Kamelot song “Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)” in 2012. That eventually made me check out her band Amaranthe and it became obvious to me that I needed to invite her to join the line-up for my new album. Working with Elize on this song has been an amazing experience. It’s always amazing to hear one of my favourit singers sing a song that I have written. Elize is also one of those artists that experiments and adds alot of her own ideas to the song instead of just singing the guidelines from the vocal demos I make. She’s all about the music and I love working with people that want to push the best out of a song instead of finnishing it as fast as possible. Trust me, I’ve met those guys that are only there for the paycheck… Elize came up with a lot of awesome stuff and her ad libs at the end of the track … they gave me goosbumps.

For me, “On Through The Storm” is a bit personal, lyrically, allthough it has some twists to make it fit into the album concept. It’s a song about going through an awful periode of your life and still find the strength to get out of it. You know, the same ol’ cliché. Both singers make the lyrics come alive. It’s pure joy to listen to them. Can’t wait to release it.

On top of this I asked the amazing guitarist Jørn Viggo Lofstad to do the guitar solo. Jørn has been one of my favourite guitarists since I bought the album “Celestial Entrance” by Pagan’s Mind when I was a 14 year old kid. Did he deliver the goods? Oh yes! Just wait till you hear it, it’s just beautiful.”

The line-up on “A Bit Closer To Heaven” looks like this:

Andreas Nergård – drums/bass/keyboards
Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) – vocals
Nils K. Rue (Pagan’s Mind) – vocals
Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear, ex Gamma Ray) – vocals
Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus) – vocals
Andi Kravljaca (Aeon Zen) – vocals
Thomas Løseth (Tempo) – vocals
Sunniva Unsgård – vocals
Ole Martin Moe Thornæs (Rudhira) – vocals
Jostein Svarstad (Tony Carey, The Jan Holberg Project) – guitar solo
Stig Nergård (Tellus Requiem) – guitar solo
Jørn Viggo Lofstad (Pagan’s Mind) – guitar solo
Øyvind Voldmo Larsen (Withem) – guitar solo
Henrik Karlsvik – rhythm guitar
Martin Aas – bass
Øyvind Wærnes – guitar
Raymond Hellem – acoustic guitar

“A Bit Closer To Heaven” will be out on Battlegod Productions in April. Date will follow.

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