The worldwide release of the sophomore full-length album “The Northern Sanctuary” by Swedish progressive Death Metal duo WITHERSCAPE on July 22nd, 2016 (Italian street date; July 29th!) via Century Media Records is drawing nearer. Therefore, a next song off the release is being debuted online now.

Check out the extremely catchy track “In The Eyes Of Idols” in a lyric-video designed by Cloud Music Typography here:

Multi-instrumentalist and producer Dan Swanö (ex Edge Of Sanity/Bloodbath, Nightingale, etc.), who partners up with fellow Swedish multi-instrumentalist Ragnar Widerberg in WITHERSCAPE, 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…”

Lyricist Paul Kuhr (Novembers Doom) fleshed out the story invented by the band and here are his complimentary own words on the lyrics for “In The Eyes Of Idols”:

“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: YouTube

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)

Next to the standard jewel case version, The Northern Sanctuary” will also be available as limited edition Mediabook 2CD including the album as “full dynamic mix” and ROM part with instrumentals as its bonus disc. The LP version will come as 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. The LP format will be available in the following vinyl options:

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)

The album’s pre-order is being started today via CM Distro, so check here for the various physical options: CM Distro

Other pre-order locations:
iTunes
Amazon
Amazon MP3

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 mesmerizingly 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