Progressive symphonic metal band Scardust are thrilled to announce the release of their anticipated new studio album “Souls”, out on July 18th, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.
The band also share the new single and accompanying official video, “Dazzling Darkness”, available now.
Watch the official video for “Dazzling Darkness” below.
The band commented on the new album by saying: “‘Souls’ is a deep personal journey for us, combining everything from intricate progressive elements to sweeping symphonic passages, anthemic choruses and epic choirs. This album is a milestone for the band. It contains the Scardust DNA while experimenting with different writing and composing methods, involving every single musician in the band, resulting in the creation of the next evolution of our sound and pushing the boundaries of what we can express through music”.
“Thematically we’ve explored ideas of memory, belonging, loss, and the desire for connection, weaving in influences from different musical worlds, including orchestral, Mediterranean, and even Celtic sounds”, they added. “‘Souls’ is our most ambitious album to date, incorporating Scardust’s signature technical musicianship, and featuring the Hellscore choir and a string quartet throughout the entire album plus guest appearances from some international top tier musicians like Ross Jennings (Haken), Ally Storch (Subway to Sally), a Turkish orchestra and the TLV orchestra. It’s bold, it’s emotional and we hope it resonates deeply wherever it is heard”.
Scardust’s early years saw their debut EP, “Shadow” (2015), position them as a promising newcomer, while their first full-length LP, “Sands of Time” (2017), cemented them as one of the leading progressive metal bands in Israel. Scardust rapidly rose to the top of the local metal scene, selling out shows and opening for the likes of Symphony X, Therion, and Epica. They soon expanded their reach, touring overseas and playing festivals and headline shows in Germany, China, and the UK, while continuing to dominate stages at home.
Despite the challenges of Covid-19, 2020 saw the release of their sophomore album “Strangers” through M-Theory Audio, accompanied by seven self-produced music videos. Described by Dead Rhetoric as “captivating from start to finish”, “Strangers” introduced a unique concept album built on complementary song pairs, earning strong critical and fan acclaim.
2022 started on a high note with the visit of folk star Patty Gurdy, who joined Scardust for a live show in Israel and filmed the band’s most viewed video to date, Concrete Cages. The song, featuring a duet between Noa and Patty, tells a tale of mankind’s loss of connection with nature – culminating in a shocking twist.
That summer, the band headlined multiple shows across Europe, performing to packed arenas at Wacken Open Air and Dong Open Air. Testament’s Steve Di Giorgio, upon hearing the band from backstage, ran out front and watched the entire set, later describing himself as “mesmerized”. The year ended with the release of the dramatic one-shot video Evolution of the Disney Princess – But She’s METAL, where Noa weaves through a high-energy metal arrangement of beloved Disney Princess songs in just three and a half minutes.
2023 saw the release of “Game of Now”, a cinematic piece set in a futuristic dystopian live show. Scardust played festivals and concerts across Europe, spent two weeks on tour with power metal legends Blind Guardian, and signed a major multi-album deal with Frontiers Records – marking a significant milestone in their career.
Following an extended period of recording, the end of 2024 brought the release of “My Haven”, a powerful music video exploring the concept of finding a safe space. Shortly after, they unveiled RIP, a haunting track accompanied by a visually striking video centered around the enigmatic figure of Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Scardust continued working with filmmaker Lahav Levi, whose creative vision has played a key role in bringing their music to life on screen.
Alongside Scardust’s rise, Noa Gruman’s metal choir, Hellscore, has been gaining significant recognition. Known for their unique a cappella renditions of metal classics, they have collaborated with renowned artists and bands such as Epica, Therion, Amorphis, and Alestorm. Hellscore is also an integral part of Scardust’s sound, performing on all their albums and live shows.
Noa Gruman is also much in demand as a vocalist and the already-impressive list of her recent guest vocal appearances includes albums by Amorphis, Ayreon, Therion, Gloryhammer, Nino Helfrich and Orphaned Land.
If you are looking for the most fresh and innovative progressive album, “Souls” is set to be a milestone for the genre.
Pre-order & pre-save “Souls” here.
Tracklist:
1. Long Forgotten Song
2. My Haven
3. RIP
4. Dazzling Darkness
5. Unreachable (feat. TLV Orchestra)
6. End of the World
7. Searing Echoes (feat. Ally Storch)
8. Touch of Life I – In Your Eyes (feat. Ross Jennings)
9. Touch of Life II – Dance of Creation
10. Touch of Life III – King of Insanity (feat. Ross Jennings)
Line-up:
Noa Gruman – Vocals
Gal Gabriel Israel – Guitar
Aaron Friedland – Keyboards
Orr Didi – Bass
Yoav Weinberg – Drums
Weblinks:
scardust.co
www.facebook.com/ScardustOfficial
