North German power metallers Mob Rules have unveiled the first details about their eagerly awaited, new studio album “Rise of the Ruler”, slated for a release on August 22nd, 2025 via ROAR!
The follow-up to 2018’s successful album “Beast Reborn” (which reached a sensational #37 in the German and #59 in the Swiss album charts) is not only a work brimming with creativity, wit and quality, but also the conceptual continuation of their two early albums “Savage Land” (1999) and “Temple of Two Suns” (2000), with which Mob Rules laid the foundation for their career. Both albums are linked by an exciting concept story about life in a dystopian, hostile end-time world in which resources are becoming scarce. This is exactly where the band’s new offering “Rise of the Ruler” comes in and keyboardist Jan Christian Halfbrodt (who is responsible for all the lyrics) continues the thread.
In addition to the eleven-track standard album (available as CD digipak and colored vinyl), Mob Rules have also been working on a very special fan item over the last few months: The limited earbook edition of “Rise of the Ruler” comes with an exclusive bonus CD containing five additional, brand new songs, as well as a spoken version of the concept story, an alternative version of “Dawn of Second Sun” and the two video clips for “Back to Savage Land” and “Dawn of Second Sun”! The large-format, hardcover book-style 48-page earbook extensively documents the creation of the album, video shoot, photo shoot and provides insights into the concept story.
A music video for the first album single, “Back to Savage Land”, is now premiering below! “Back to Savage Land” is programmatic in this context. The band around singer Klaus Dirks has succeeded in creating a true power metal anthem that will take the hearts of metal fans by storm with its speed, strong melodies, healthy heaviness and catchiness. The first taste of “Rise of the Ruler” perfectly sums up the band’s strengths in its compactness. In collaboration with director Rainer Fränzen (Orden Ogan, Grave Digger, among others), the most extensive video concept in the band’s history was created!
Watch the music video for “Back to Savage Land” below.
“Conceptually, ‘Back to Savage Land’ follows on from our first two albums and continues the concept story“, vocalist Klaus Dirks comments. ‘Here, a group sets off for their old, abandoned homeland, the ‘Savage Land’, and this arduous journey awakens memories for them. The journey is fraught with danger, but there seems to be no alternative, creating a ‘do-or-die’ atmosphere. Detached from the concept story, ‘Back to Savage Land’ also has a simple message: ‘It is a call for courage and perseverance, to focus on the goal and not let the imponderables and setbacks get you down”.
Once again “Rise of the Ruler” was mixed and mastered by the experienced hands of Markus Teske (Vanden Plas, The New Roses etc.). After “My Sobriety Mind” (from the “Beast Reborn” album), Mob Rules also collaborated again with singer Ulli Perhonen (Snow White Blood), which is reflected in the beautiful duet of the song “On the Trail”.
The visual design was created by French cover artist Stan W. Decker (Masterplan, Primal Fear etc.), who perfectly staged the post-apocalyptic scenery of “Rise of the Ruler”.
One can be sure, it was definitely worth the wait: After “Beast Reborn” (2018), the live album “Beast Over Europe” (2019) and the anniversary compilation “Celebration Days – 30 Years Of Mob Rules” released in 2024, the Northern Lights are finally back with a powerful new studio album that marks another milestone in their extensive career!
Pre-order & pre-save “Rise of the Ruler” here.
Tracklist:
01. The Fall Of Dendayar
02. Exiled
03. Future Loom
04. Dawn of Second Sun
05. Back to Savage Land
06. Trial And Trail of Fear
07. Providence
08. Nomadic Oasis
09. Coast of Midgard
10. On the Trail
11. Equilibrium (Rise of the Ruler)
German Live Shows 2025:
02.05.2025 (DE) Bremen, Meisenfrei
14.06.2025 (DE) Hude, Klosterbeben
23.08.205 (DE) Oldenburg, Cadillac (Album Release Party)
Line-up:
Klaus Dirks – Vocals
Sven Lüdke – Guitar
Florian Dyszbalis – Guitar
Markus Brinkmann – Bass
Jan Christian Halfbrodt – Keys
Sebastian Schmidt – Drums
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/mobrulesband
www.instagram.com/mobrulesband
