Today, Boston-based Progressive Metal outfit WILDERUN have released their fourth studio full-length, ‘Epigone’, via Century Media. To celebrate the new album, the band has dropped a one-take-lyric video for the track “Exhaler”, which was filmed by their vocalist + guitarist Evan Berry.

Speaking on the video for “Exhaler”, Evan comments: “‘Exhaler’ feels like a dream that precedes the core of ‘Epigone’, and like much of our previous album, muses on better times long gone.  There is almost a feeling of resentment towards past joys and prior clarity, as they seem to just become a dark mirror through which the current state of existence is poorly reflected.  Musically, this song stands out as very organic compared to much of the rest of the album, keeping to acoustic instruments and orchestrations, as opposed to some of the synthetic and darker textures we experiment with on the other tracks.  Hopefully this reflects those feelings of rose-colored nostalgia, verses the conflicted and cold reality of the present.

I wanted the video to match that feeling of organic, earthly clarity, which is why I avoided any effects or editing of any sort, and the lyrics are written entirely with broken sticks found on that plot of land.  The track also holds a more consistent tone and energy than some of our other more frenetic and dynamic songs, so the one-shot approach felt very appropriate.”  

1. Exhaler                                                                                                  00:04:44
2. Woolgatherer                                                                                         00:14:11
3. Passenger                                                                                             00:09:58
4. Identifier                                                                                                00:11:32
5. Ambition                                                                                                00:02:41
6. Distraction I                                                                                           00:04:56
7. Distraction II                                                                                          00:05:39
8. Distraction III                                                                                         00:05:46
9. Distraction Nulla                                                                                    00:03:15

ORDER ‘Epigone’ HERE

About Wilderun’s ‘Epigone’:

On Epigone , Boston-bred aural imaginauts WILDERUN take a deeper and darker step beyond their expansive, prog-leaning metal scores that so skillfully came together on 2019’s Veil of Imagination. The result is a record that is at once grandiose, complex, sophisticated, and unexpectedly human. “This is certainly a “meta” record for me,” states guitarist and vocalist Evan Berry. “It’s the record that has the most to do with the artistic process.” Indeed, the nine-track-long offering: beginning with the haunting acoustic prelude, “Exhaler” and ending with a twenty-minute, four-part epic composition, “Distraction I-IV”, Epigone is nothing short of a journey into expression and ambition. It has all the earmarks that have made WILDERUN a revelation unto themselves.

“This record has a different kind of inner turmoil than Veil,” says bassist and composer Dan Muller. “So much of that album was focused on the past and reminiscing on the progression from childhood to adulthood, and had a brighter, more flowery texture to it. This one is darker, and to me feels more introspective.” Admittedly, the universal pause and the frustration that came with the onset of a global pandemic of 2020 weighed heavily on the writing. “It was a frustrating time,” says Dan. “Things were starting to move in a direction that we had wanted them to for a while. We had signed to Century Media and were playing bigger shows like the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise. Then, suddenly, it felt like everything was ripped away from us. For me, that made it the hardest record we’ve ever had to write.”

Berry describes the arrangement process for Epigone as “solitary”, largely due to the Covid-restricted universe the band found itself in. Ideas were shuttled back and forth between members, and the band frustratingly never had the opportunity to meet as a whole before tracking commenced in early 2021.  And with traveling being too risky at the time, Wayne had to do all of his recording and orchestrating out of his home studio in California, while the rest of the band tracked in Syracuse, NY. In spite of that isolation, tracks like the driving “Passenger” speak volumes of WILDERUN’s increasingly canny sonic reach as soaring, cinematic orchestrations flirt with Berry’s death metalized inclinations. According to Berry, even WILDERUN’s flawlessly integrated orchestrations were pushed in new directions. Guitarist and composer Wayne Ingram (who has worked for noted film composer Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Company) focused on innovative and challenging compositions while Muller pushed his synth work to create a sense of atmosphere the band’s prior work only hinted at. The album’s mix by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Arch Enemy) sets the album’s standard to masterpiece proportions.

“There’s always a deep appreciation for the vibe and the atmosphere of folk and the heaviness of metal,” says Dan, “I think for us it comes down to this organic, esoteric atmosphere that incorporates a lot of different things.” That aesthetic is most pronounced when it comes to some of the album’s actual instrumentation. “This is probably the biggest number of folk instruments we’ve ever had on a record,” notes Dan.  “Sometimes it’s prominent. Sometimes it’s layered. There’s fewer keys and more acoustic passages. It’s a little more earthy and a little less theater.”

When it comes to scoring soundtracks for the theater of the mind, WILDERUN isn’t merely pushing boundaries, they’re writing sublime symphonies and setting the standard in the process. “At its core, WILDERUN is escapist, transformative,” says Dan. “Our criteria is very simple: As a listener, does it put me in a place that’s better than where I am now? Even though the music and lyrics are very introspective, this could be anyone’s story.”

Boston-bred progressive, symphonic metal band WILDERUN have released the third single from their upcoming studio album, ‘Epigone’. The new single is a radio edit of the track “Identifier” , and is accompanied by a performance video from the band. ‘Epigone’ will see a January 7th, 2022 release via Century Media.

Speaking on their new single, the band shares:

“It didn’t take us long to know we wanted to release this song as a single. With ‘Identifier’ we wanted to find a way to weave classic Wilderun orchestrations with newly discovered synths and sound design, while simultaneously rejuvenating our use of folk instrumentation all in one song. We took a deep dive into our own experiences as a band and resurfaced with a new perspective that’s both daunting and invigorating.”

Epigone Tracklisting:

1.     Exhaler
2.     Woolgatherer
3.     Passenger
4.     Identifier
5.     Ambition
6.     Distraction I
7.     Distraction II
8.     Distraction III
9.     Distraction Nulla
10. Everything In Its Right Place

(Bonus – only on CD & digital)

Exhaler (Synth Mix – Bonus – only digital)

Pre-orders are available for Epigone HERE

Watch The Video for “Identifier” HERE:

About WILDERUN’s Epigone:

With Epigone, Boston-bred aural imaginauts WILDERUN take a deeper and darker step beyond their expansive, prog-leaning metal scores that so skillfully came together on 2019’s Veil of Imagination. The result is a record that is at once grandiose, complex, sophisticated, and unexpectedly human. “This is certainly a “meta” record for me,” states guitarist and vocalist Evan Berry. “It’s the record that has the most to do with the artistic process.” Indeed, the nine-track-long offering: beginning with the haunting acoustic prelude, “Exhaler” and ending with a twenty-minute, four-part epic composition, “Distraction I-IV”, Epigone is nothing short of a journey into expression and ambition. It has all the earmarks that have made WILDERUN a revelation unto themselves.

“This record has a different kind of inner turmoil than Veil,” says bassist and composer Dan Muller. “So much of that album was focused on the past and reminiscing on the progression from childhood to adulthood, and had a brighter, more flowery texture to it. This one is darker, and to me feels more introspective.” Admittedly, the universal pause and the frustration that came with the onset of a global pandemic of 2020 weighed heavily on the writing. “It was a frustrating time,” says Dan. “Things were starting to move in a direction that we had wanted them to for a while. We had signed to Century Media and were playing bigger shows like the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise. Then, suddenly, it felt like everything was ripped away from us. For me, that made it the hardest record we’ve ever had to write.”

Berry describes the arrangement process for Epigone as “solitary”, largely due to the Covid-restricted universe the band found itself in. Ideas were shuttled back and forth between members, and the band frustratingly never had the opportunity to meet as a whole before tracking commenced in early 2021.  And with traveling being too risky at the time, Wayne had to do all of his recording and orchestrating out of his home studio in California, while the rest of the band tracked in Syracuse, NY. In spite of that isolation, tracks like the driving “Passenger” speak volumes of WILDERUN’s increasingly canny sonic reach as soaring, cinematic orchestrations flirt with Berry’s death metalized inclinations. According to Berry, even WILDERUN’s flawlessly integrated orchestrations were pushed in new directions. Guitarist and composer Wayne Ingram (who has worked for noted film composer Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Company) focused on innovative and challenging compositions while Muller pushed his synth work to create a sense of atmosphere the band’s prior work only hinted at. The album’s mix by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Arch Enemy) sets the album’s standard to masterpiece proportions.

“There’s always a deep appreciation for the vibe and the atmosphere of folk and the heaviness of metal,” says Dan, “I think for us it comes down to this organic, esoteric atmosphere that incorporates a lot of different things.” That aesthetic is most pronounced when it comes to some of the album’s actual instrumentation. “This is probably the biggest number of folk instruments we’ve ever had on a record,” notes Dan.  “Sometimes it’s prominent. Sometimes it’s layered. There’s fewer keys and more acoustic passages. It’s a little more earthy and a little less theater.”

When it comes to scoring soundtracks for the theater of the mind, WILDERUN isn’t merely pushing boundaries, they’re writing sublime symphonies and setting the standard in the process. “At its core, WILDERUN is escapist, transformative,” says Dan. “Our criteria is very simple: As a listener, does it put me in a place that’s better than where I am now? Even though the music and lyrics are very introspective, this could be anyone’s story.”

WILDERUN is Evan Anderson Berry (vocals, guitars, piano), Dan Müller (bass, synths, orchestrations), Jon Teachey (drums), Joe Gettler (lead guitar), and Wayne Ingram (orchestrations).

Boston-bred aural imaginauts WILDERUN have released a brand new single, titled “Distraction I”, from their upcoming studio album. The new track is the second single off the band’s fourth studio full-length, ‘Epigone’, which will see a January 7th, 2022 release via Century Media ! To promote the new single, Wilderun have unveiled an immersive 3D video directed by Miles Skarin and visuals inspired by ‘Epigone’ album cover artist Kim Keever.

“Distraction I is the first movement in the 4-part suite that closes the album. Musically, Distraction I is far more straightforward than a typical Wilderun song and relies more heavily on atmosphere as a means of creating momentum throughout the track. It also is one of the more synth-heavy tracks on the record, utilizing dense tapestries of largely atonal sounds to develop a unique sonic space that is both surreal and expansive. It is the calm before the storm and the sign of things to come.” – Dan

1. Exhaler                                                                                                  
2. Woolgatherer                                                                                         
3. Passenger                                                                                            
4. Identifier                                                                                               
5. Ambition                                                                                               
6. Distraction I                                                                                           
7. Distraction II                                                                                         
8. Distraction III                                                                                         
9. Distraction Nulla

PRE-ORDER ‘Epigone’ HERE

About Wilderun’s ‘Epigone’:

On Epigone , Boston-bred aural imaginauts WILDERUN take a deeper and darker step beyond their expansive, prog-leaning metal scores that so skillfully came together on 2019’s Veil of Imagination. The result is a record that is at once grandiose, complex, sophisticated, and unexpectedly human. “This is certainly a “meta” record for me,” states guitarist and vocalist Evan Berry. “It’s the record that has the most to do with the artistic process.” Indeed, the nine-track-long offering: beginning with the haunting acoustic prelude, “Exhaler” and ending with a twenty-minute, four-part epic composition, “Distraction I-IV”, Epigone is nothing short of a journey into expression and ambition. It has all the earmarks that have made WILDERUN a revelation unto themselves.

“This record has a different kind of inner turmoil than Veil,” says bassist and composer Dan Muller. “So much of that album was focused on the past and reminiscing on the progression from childhood to adulthood, and had a brighter, more flowery texture to it. This one is darker, and to me feels more introspective.” Admittedly, the universal pause and the frustration that came with the onset of a global pandemic of 2020 weighed heavily on the writing. “It was a frustrating time,” says Dan. “Things were starting to move in a direction that we had wanted them to for a while. We had signed to Century Media and were playing bigger shows like the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise. Then, suddenly, it felt like everything was ripped away from us. For me, that made it the hardest record we’ve ever had to write.”

Berry describes the arrangement process for Epigone as “solitary”, largely due to the Covid-restricted universe the band found itself in. Ideas were shuttled back and forth between members, and the band frustratingly never had the opportunity to meet as a whole before tracking commenced in early 2021.  And with traveling being too risky at the time, Wayne had to do all of his recording and orchestrating out of his home studio in California, while the rest of the band tracked in Syracuse, NY. In spite of that isolation, tracks like the driving “Passenger” speak volumes of WILDERUN’s increasingly canny sonic reach as soaring, cinematic orchestrations flirt with Berry’s death metalized inclinations. According to Berry, even WILDERUN’s flawlessly integrated orchestrations were pushed in new directions. Guitarist and composer Wayne Ingram (who has worked for noted film composer Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Company) focused on innovative and challenging compositions while Muller pushed his synth work to create a sense of atmosphere the band’s prior work only hinted at. The album’s mix by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Arch Enemy) sets the album’s standard to masterpiece proportions.

“There’s always a deep appreciation for the vibe and the atmosphere of folk and the heaviness of metal,” says Dan, “I think for us it comes down to this organic, esoteric atmosphere that incorporates a lot of different things.” That aesthetic is most pronounced when it comes to some of the album’s actual instrumentation. “This is probably the biggest number of folk instruments we’ve ever had on a record,” notes Dan.  “Sometimes it’s prominent. Sometimes it’s layered. There’s fewer keys and more acoustic passages. It’s a little more earthy and a little less theater.”

When it comes to scoring soundtracks for the theater of the mind, WILDERUN isn’t merely pushing boundaries, they’re writing sublime symphonies and setting the standard in the process. “At its core, WILDERUN is escapist, transformative,” says Dan. “Our criteria is very simple: As a listener, does it put me in a place that’s better than where I am now? Even though the music and lyrics are very introspective, this could be anyone’s story.”

Blending elements of Progressive and Symphonic Metal, Boston’s WILDERUN are pleased to announce their new studio album, ‘Epigone’, which will see a January 7th, 2022 release via Century Media! Pre-orders for ‘Epigone’ are live TODAY (Oct. 15), and the band has shared a new music video for the first single, “Passenger” (Radio Edit), which can be seen here: VIDEO

The band comments: “‘Passenger’ is simultaneously the most immediate and the densest song on the record.  I think it hooks you in pretty quickly, but takes a good amount of replays to catch all the details.  This is also one of those tracks we were excited to play live as soon as we tracked it in the studio, given the heaviness of both the band and orchestra, so I can easily imagine this becoming a staple of our setlist, but only time will tell.”

The album artwork and tracklisting for ‘Epigone’ can be seen below. The CD and digital version of the record will include a bonus track; the band’s cover of “Everything In Its Right Place”, while the digital version will also have a synth mix of the track “Exhaler”

“We are very proud to present our 4th studio album ‘Epigone’ as our first true release on Century Media.  This has been an album in the making for many years, so it’s a relief and a pleasure to finally get it out there.  We’ve learned a lot over the past 3 records, and applying that knowledge to these particular songs has been a very rewarding challenge.” 

TRACKLIST

1.  Exhaler
2.  Woolgatherer
3.  Passenger
4.  Identifier
5.  Ambition
6.  Distraction I
7. Distraction II
8. Distraction III
9. Distraction Nulla
10.  Everything In Its Right Place

(Bonus – only on CD & digital)

11. Exhaler (Synth Mix – Bonus – only digital)

Boston five-piece WILDERUN releases a new music video for their cover of Iron Maiden’s “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” today via Century Media. Watch the music video, which is off of the band’s recent full-length album Veil Of Imagination, here:

“I originally chose this song as a cover because I felt like we could really give it the Wilderun ‘treatment’, if there is such a thing. Obviously, we are partial to longer and more epic tracks, so choosing this song just made sense. I always enjoy when bands make cover songs their own, and try to make it less discernible from their core discography than you might expect, so that’s what we attempted here. Much of the guitar work still pays homage to Maiden, but we tried to match some of the atmosphere of “Veil of Imagination” with the symphonic elements, so it feels like it belongs to that same world,” states WILDERUN vocalist Evan Anderson Berry.

Just this past July, WILDERUN re-released their third album Veil Of Imagination via Century Media Records. The album is available to purchase and stream here: https://Wilderun.lnk.to/VeilOfImagination.

Formed in 2012, WILDERUN have previously released two albums, 2012’s Olden Tales & Deathly Trails and 2015’s Sleep at the Edge of the Earth. With a slightly different approach to creating music, the forthcoming re-release of Veil of Imagination transforms and expands upon WILDERUN’s already indefinable style, resulting in an album that is beautiful and fierce. Clean vocals transform into deathly growls as the band alternates between exquisitely-composed orchestrations and savage metal, all executed with technical prowess. Veil of Imagination  is an epic, emotional and whimsical odyssey through landscapes of earth and mind.