As the year 2016 wraps up, the Swedish progressive Death Metal duo WITHERSCAPE looks back to the much acclaimed release of their sophomore full-length album “The Northern Sanctuary” via Century Media Records.

And with many year-end polls mentioning the outstanding quality of this album, a next track off “The Northern sanctuary” has now been launched, so go check out “Marionette” 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, comments the song as follows:
“Sometimes a song can take some unexpected twists and turns and what started out as an acoustic ballad, inspired by a very strange guitar tuning, turned into one of the first Shoe-Gaze/Death/Doom/A.O.R. ballads that the world has ever heard. The reactions to this track have been some of the strongest from any other track from any other band I have been in. There are several reports from tears of joy, goosebumps and other pleasant experiences when listening to this track, and if you, just like me, love “Leprosy” by Death as much as Journey’s “Frontiers” well, then you are in for a sonic treat ;)”

Swanö also sent over a quick message about the fading year 2016 and a preview for 2017 as follows:
“My musical highlights from 2016 are…Finishing off and releasing the 2nd Witherscape album “The Northern Sanctuary”. By far the most satisfying metal experience of my life so far! And also to see that the album even found its way to the #1 spot on some year lists makes all the hard work extra worthwhile!
There’s also a lot of awesome stuff that I mixed in the studio, and I’d love to mention them all, but in order to keep it short I can only recommend you to check out the awesome power-pop of The Sigourney Weavers and hear my mix work on something more traditional for a change! On the gig front, it was a milestone to finally step up on the stage of the mighty Rock Hard festival, with Nightingale!
2017 has some cool stuff lined up already: Mix work with Rage, Misery Index, God Dethroned, The Project Hate, Entrails and lots more. I probably won’t release new albums with any of my own projects. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t work on some of my own music. If all goes according to plan, I will get more work done on the Second Sky album…and hopefully some more Witherscape.”

Upon release, WITHERSCAPES’s “The Northern Sanctuary” received amazing press response with some of the highlights being: “Album of the Month!” – Sweden Rock Magazine (SE) & Aardschok Magazine (NL), # 2 Soundcheck – Legacy Magazine (DE) & Rock Hard Magazine (DE), # 3 Soundcheck – Metal Hammer Magazine (DE) as well as #4 Soundcheck – Deaf Forever Magazine (DE).

Check out two more tracks from WITHERSCAPE’s “The Northern Sanctuary” here:

“In The Eyes Of Idols” (lyric-video):

“Wake Of Infinity”:

Next to the standard jewel case version, “The Northern Sanctuary” is 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 comes 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. Get the album here from CM Distro in various physical options:
http://smarturl.it/NSCMDISTRO

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