SAGAN'S MOST EXCITING UPCOMING ALBUMS
(Part I)
We are just settling into 2017, and already we have so much music to look forward to in the next year!
I will call this Part I, because I am sure that over the course of the year more new exciting albums will be announced. But here are the upcoming releases I am most eager to listen to so far.
Aeternam - Ruins Of Empires Release date: February 10, 2017
Aeternam's Indigogo campaign gave them the chance to grace us with a new album, after 5 years of absence. Entitled Ruins of Empires , the album is not really a concept album entirely, but with each song inspired by a fallen great ruler of times past, this is a title true to its name.
The band posted a series of spotlight videos for each of these songs, telling us a bit about the story of each ruler as well as giving us a glimpse of the song - very interesting! This sounds like it's going to be a brilliant album in my humble opinion.
Ex Deo - The Immortal Wars Release date: February 24, 2017
Coming out from a hiatus that could have been eternal, the mighty Ex Deo has decided to unleash a new album upon us in 2017. They recruited Clemens "Ardek" Wijers (Carach Angren) to do the orchestrations on it, and it sounds absolutely devastatingly (for lack of more fitting words) epic. This is without a doubt my most anticipated album this year.
When this drops, the ground will shake, I can feel it already.
Listen to the first single The Rise Of Hannibal on Spotify.
Persefone - Aathma
Release date: February 24, 2017
Persefone is another band who had a successful crowd-funding campaign to secure a new record. Entitled Aathma, the album is due out at the end of February, and is currently available for pre-order in a few formats - including a special DigiPak limited to 500 copies.
TrollfesT - Helluva
Release date: February 24, 2017
The True Norwegian Balkan Metal kings return this winter with a new Indiana Jones-esque aesthetic and a new album called Helluva. TrollfesT is scheduled to be playing the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise once again this year, and we hope they're going to preview a couple tracks if not have a full-blow pre-release listening party!
Either way I think it's going to be a Helluva good time, and can't wait to hear this album.
Watch this video for the first single, Steel Sarah
More Mysterious Stuff (That Will Probably Be In Part II)
Alestorm - No Grave But The Sea
Release date: unconfirmed
Alestorm have been hinting at a new album for months now, even playing an new track entitled "Mexico" on their last tour in the US. No artwork or release date has been confirmed, but on January 5 they announced that they were spending the next month at Alpaca Ranch Recording studio (Orlando, FL) with producer Lasse Lamert to put this new album together. Exciting stuff to come!
Belphegor (unreleased title)
Release date: September 2017 (exact date unconfirmed)
On December 29, Belphegor announced on Facebook that they had a new, yet to be named album in the works for September 2017. The extreme Austrians have already announced South American tour dates for this year as well as some festival appearances for the summer, and will no doubt sow the seed of evil in many more areas afterwards to bring their new songs to the masses.
Carach Angren (unreleased title)
Release date: unconfirmed
Carach Angren announced that they were entering the studio in December once again with Patrick Damiani, and just this week, keyboardist/composer Clemens Wijers posted on Facebook that "The Monstrous Horror Score is done!", hinting that they had completed the recording phase (and maybe at a title?). No artwork or actual title has been revealed for this new album, so we have no clue what is coming from the Dutch trio this time around, but I am certain it's going to be real horrorshow.
Elvenking (unreleased title)
Release date: unconfirmed
On January 3, Elvenking announced a new album was coming for 2017 as they posted a teaser picture taken from inside the studio (Artesonika Recording Studios in Pordenone, Italy). Nothing else has been revealed yet, so I am following intently.
Orphaned Land (unreleased title)
Release date: unconfirmed
Members of Orphaned Land (notably guitarist Chen Balbus) have hinted on social media that there was a new Orphaned Land album in the works set to be released in 2017. Between playing the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise in February, and PowerProgUSA in September, they may have a bit of time to hit the studio and grace us with a new record in 2017 - although they have not confirmed entering the studio as of yet. We can at least hope!
Rhapsody Of Fire (unreleased title)
Release date: unconfirmed
Rhapsody Of Fire have started working on a new album with their new lineup, that is to say their new singer Giacomo Voli, as well as new drummer Manu Lotter. Seeb Leevermann (of Orden Ogan) is their producer of choice for this opus, which they are recording at his own Greenman Studios in Arnsberg (DE). They have been posting studio diaries to keep us updated on the process, and it is fair to assume this album will be ready to release in 2017.
#Aeternam #ExDeo #TrollfesT #Persefone #Alestorm #CarachAngren #Elvenking #OrphanedLand #RhapsodyOfFire #Belphegor