Finnish melodic death metal frontrunners Wolfheart have proven themselves to be one of metal’s most captivating acts of northern heritage and one of the fastest rising bands in the international melodic death metal scene. Over the course of the last two years alone, the band has remained relentless with the release of their highly acclaimed full-length, “Wolves of Karelia” (2020) and the “Skull Soldiers” EP (2021), gaining massive praise from fans and press alike with their icy tales of battle and triumph.
Now, the band is thrilled announce the upcoming release of their triumphant next album, “King of the North”, out on September 16th, 2022, via Napalm Records! The nine-track offering picks up right where their last two releases left off – taking every aspect of their trademark blend of colossal melodies, earth-shaking vocals, gripping lyricism and driving rhythms to searing new levels.
With their first new single from “King of the North”, “Ancestor”, and its accompanying video, Wolfheart join forces with none other than the legendary Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage. “Ancestor” is the album’s most frostbitten anthem, unleashing Wolfheart’s acclaimed brand of crushing blast beasts and cutting-edge vocal performances. King of the North will unlock new levels in the ever-growing legacy of Wolfheart!
Wolfheart’s Tuomas Saukkonen about the new single:
“Finnish mythology is full of nordic gods, tales and beliefs, but there is only one king of the forest. And because of that, a song about this feared and honored beast is an ideal first single. Musically diverse from blast beats to majestic chorus with legendary Jesse Leach, bringing the song onto a whole new level and lyrically diving deep into the album’s theme”.
Watch the music video for “Ancestor” (feat. Jesse Leach) below.
Each song on “King of the North” is dedicated to a different story of Finnish mythology – underlined by Wolfheart’s grand, crushing songwriting and production. “The King”, for instance, tells the tale of the forest god with horns and pianos accompanying heavy guitar riffs and solos, before raising the energy levels once more on the relentless “Cold Flame” featuring Karl Sanders of legendary extreme metal group Nile. “King of the North” is a true masterpiece of melodic death metal, crafted with loads of attention to detail and intricate mythology-driven storytelling – showcasing Wolfheart at never-before-heard artistic levels!
Wolfheart’s guitarist/vocalist Tuomas Saukkonen about “King of the North”:
“After Wolves of Karelia it made a lot of sense to continue writing thematic albums, but this time I wanted to travel a lot further in history than 2nd world war and went straight to the tales about creation of nordic world, ancient gods of north and the majestic nature. The colorful theme also inspired me to write the musically most diverse Wolfheart album and also bring the biggest variation of vocals than ever before, putting Lauri and Vageliss in their well-earned spotlight”.
“King of the North” will be available in the following formats:
• LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
• LP Gatefold Vinyl Die-Hard Edition Marbled Crystal Clear/Black + Poster + Slipmat (limited to 300)
• LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Orange/Yellow
• CD 6-page Digisleeve
• Digital album
Pre-order “King of the North” here.
Tracklist:
1. Skyforger
2. Ancestor feat. Jesse Leach
3. Knell
4. Desolated Land
5. The King
6. Cold Flame feat. Karl Sanders
7. Headstones
8. Fires of the Fallen
9. Eternal Slumber
Line-up:
Tuomas Saukkonen – Guitar, vocals
Joonas Kauppinen – Drums
Lauri Silvonen – Bass, vocals
Vagelis Karzis – Guitar, vocals
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/WolfheartRealm
twitter.com/WolfheartFIN
