“Drag Ropes”, the first official video from STORM CORROSION, the long-discussed and highly anticipated collaboration between two of the modern progressive rock scene’s most innovative and multi-talented artists — Mikael Åkerfeldt of OPETH and PORCUPINE TREE‘s Steven Wilson — can be seen below.

Due on May 8, the “Storm Corrosion” Special Edition Blu-ray/CD Set & Collector’s Edition Double LP Bundle (pre-order link) is $50, and includes the album on 180-gram black virgin vinyl, in a gatefold jacket with exclusive artwork; a digital download of the entire album in high-quality FLAC files; the Blu-ray/CD version of the record, which offers the album on CD; a Blu-ray disc containing a 5.1 audio mix of the entire album, two exclusive demo tracks, and five instrumental tracks; a 24″ x 36″ fold-out poster; and a separate 12″ x 12″ poster autographed by both Mikael Åkerfeldt and Steven Wilson.

The “Storm Corrosion” Collector’s Edition Double-LP Set (pre-order link) is $35, and includes the vinyl version, the digital download, and the two posters.

“Storm Corrosion” track listing:

CD

01. Drag Ropes (9:52)
02. Storm Corrosion (10:12)
03. Hag (6:28)
04. Happy (4:53)
05. Lock Howl (6:09)
06. Ljudet Innan (10:20)

Blu-ray:

01. Drag Ropes
02. Storm Corrosion
03. Hag
04. Happy
05. Lock Howl
06. Ljudet Innan
07. Drag Ropes
08. Storm Corrosion
09. Hag
10. Happy
11. Lock Howl
12. Ljudet Innan
13. Drag Ropes (demo)
14. Hag (demo)

A little background information on the genesis of this project: Åkerfeldt and Wilson have been friends since the late ’90s, when Wilson co-produced OPETH‘s revered “Blackwater Park” album. Over the years, they’d often spoken of working on a project together, but it wasn’t until recently that they managed to make something happen, when Mikael flew over to visit Steven in the U.K. and they ended up in Wilson‘s home studio throwing ideas around. That visit was the nascence of a whole self-titled album, written and produced by the pair, and mixed by Wilson.

The sound of STORM CORROSION can best be described as enchanting, orchestral, ambient, epic (half the album’s tracks clock in around the 10-minute mark) and nothing short of surprising to the new ear. However, the musicians’ respective fanbases will be primed to appreciate the new output, with Wilson‘s recent solo album, “Grace For Drowning”, and OPETH‘s “Heritage” having brought them to a logical place to understand STORM CORROSION. This eponymous collection is almost viewed as one side of a musical triangle.

Says Wilson, “If you’d asked me three months ago about the music, I would have said, ‘Expect the last thing you would expect.’ But actually, now that ‘Heritage’ and ‘Grace For Drowning’ have come out, I don’t think it’s going to be that much of a shock to people, because it’s almost like a third part of the trilogy, in a way. If anything, it’s even more orchestral, even more stripped down, even more dark, twisted and melancholic… but it certainly feels like it comes from the same place as ‘Heritage’ and ‘Grace For Drowning’, which indeed it does because it was written during the same period.”

“Some of the music on this record I think is the most beautiful music I have participated on ever,” adds Åkerfeldt. “There’s some magical sections on there. Musically, I think we’ve created something earthy, a bit frightening, exhausting, profound and rather intense. All at the same time. I can safely say I don’t know any other band or artist that sounds anything like STORM CORROSION. I guess that was also one of our goals, so to speak.”

Roadrunner Senior VP of A&R, Monte Conner, welcomed STORM CORROSION to the Roadrunner family, commenting, “I am honored to have the Roadrunner logo on the STORM CORROSION album. Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt have demonstrated time and time again that they are two of the truest and most important artists working today, and it is not often that I get to work with musicians of this caliber. This album is a beautiful piece of work that will appeal to fans of Steven and Mikael‘s past records, while at the same time exploring new avenues for both artists.” Source: Blabbermouth.net