Svalbard have released an important, heart-wrenching statement for their fans:
After much reflection, we have decided that 2026 will be the final year of Svalbard.
Our final UK tour will be in November 2025. Following that, we plan to do a final EU tour, a final Japanese tour and a few more select farewell shows in 2026.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us during our 15 years as a band. Your support has meant the world to us.
We’ve shared so many unforgettable moments with you all throughout our career, and we look forward to commemorating our final year as a band with you in 2026.
UK Tour Dates 2025:
19 Nov UK – Glasgow, Slay
20 Nov UK – Manchester, Rebellion
21 Nov UK – Newcastle, Think Tank
22 Nov UK – Bristol, Thekla
23 Nov UK – London, Oslo Hackney
Svalbard will reveal more final show dates in due course…
Svalbard’s latest and final record, “The Weight of the Mask”, is their most devastatingly raw and beautiful work to-date, overflowing with mesmerising performances from Serena Cherry, Liam Phelan, Mark Lilley and Matt Francis, transcending boundaries across shoegaze, post-hardcore, black metal and more. Uncompromising and highly charged, the record spans themes intrinsic to humanity, such as emotional strength and depression, to unrequited love and vulnerability.
Across a fifteen-year career, Svalbard have released four studio albums, three EPs and several split releases. Whilst continually refining their distinctive blend of euphoric black metal, post-rock and d-beat, they incorporated a few more surprising influences along the way. From soft, mournful singing to progressive guitar leads, which showcased a sensitive dynamic, lending impact to their most crushing moments – of which there are undoubtedly many. There’s been no poetry, no ambiguity – just direct, raw honesty as the quartet have tackled some very uncomfortable subjects head on. Svalbard are heavy in the most evocative sense of the word, with blunt lyrics equally as important as the music.
In light of today’s news, Serena Cherry has also shared a message:
“From the moment we formed Svalbard in 2011, all we wanted was to play loud and play shows. Every single moment was exciting to us, from playing DIY squat shows to major metal festivals all over Europe. I think we will always feel a slight state of disbelief over what our noisy little band from Bristol managed to achieve.
We never wanted to create music that was easy to pigeonhole, and I feel proud that we always stayed true to ourselves musically and never restricted our creativity within the genre rule book.
The support we received over the years as a band is something that I will carry in my heart forever. It’s a testament to the openmindedness of the metal community that our sound and our outspokenness was embraced with open arms.
I would like to say a very heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported Svalbard, it’s been an incredible journey and we could not have done it without you”.
Line-up:
Serena Cherry – Vocals/Guitar
Liam Phelan – Vocals/Guitar
Mark Lilley – Drums
Matt Francis – Bass
Web:
linktr.ee/svalbardhc
