Today, SVALBARD are proud to release their breathtaking new studio album, The Weight Of The Mask. Uncompromising and highly charged, the record spans themes intrinsic to humanity, such as emotional strength and depression, to unrequited love and vulnerability.
The Weight Of The Mask is SVALBARD’s 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.
Serena Cherry stated:
“It feels pretty surreal to be releasing our fourth album today, after spending 2 years writing and recording it. It’s so exciting for these songs to be out in the wild, we can’t wait to see everyone’s reactions to this album!”
Order The Weight Of The Mask HERE
Listen to The Weight Of The Mask in full on YouTube HERE
Watch the ‘How To Swim Down‘ video HERE
Watch the ‘Faking It‘ video HERE
Watch the ‘Eternal Spirits‘ video HERE
The Weight Of The Mask was recorded at The Ranch Production House, UK. The record was produced and mixed by Lewis Johns, with mastering by Grant Berry. Engineering was handled by Lewis Johns, assisted by Matt Janke, with additional editing by Kel Pinchin and Sebastien Sendon.
SVALBARD‘s intention with their music is to make people feel less alone, and to be there for people in their darkest times. The Weight Of The Mask bravely lays out experiences of mental illness and depression, hoping to help destigmatise these topics.
The Weight Of The Mask – tracklist:
01. Faking It
02. Eternal Spirits
03. Defiance
04. November
05. Lights Out
06. How To Swim Down
07. Be My Tomb
08. Pillar In The Sand
09. To Wilt Beneath The Weight
SVALBARD will be returning to the EU mainland for six headline show dates this month, which will be followed by a performance at the Cult Of Luna curated Beyond The Redshift eventin London and a headline date at The Key Club in Leeds.
October Dates
14 Oct – NL Nijmegen, Soulcrusher
15 Oct – DE Cologne, Helios 37
16 Oct – DE Berlin, Urban Spree
17 Oct – DE Dresden, Chemiefabrik
18 Oct – DE Neunkirchen, Stummsche Reithalle
19 Oct – FR Paris, Backstage By The Mill
20 Oct – UK London, Beyond The Redshift – curated by Cult Of Luna
21 Oct – UK Leeds, The Key Club
Formed in Bristol UK, SVALBARD have previously released three studio albums, three EPs and several split releases. Their exceptional last studio album, 2020’s When I Die, Will I Get Better? was dubbed by Metal Hammer UK as “the most important British metal record of 2020”, with both Metal Hammer and Kerrang! lauding the record as a top 10 album of the year. A career milestone, it cemented SVALBARD as a powerful and vital component of our global music scene.
Whilst refining their distinctive blend of euphoric black metal, post-rock and d-beat, SVALBARD have incorporated a few more surprising influences along the way. From soft, mournful singing to progressive guitar leads, it showcases a sensitive dynamic that lends impact to their most crushing moments – of which there are undoubtedly many. There’s no poetry, no ambiguity – just direct, raw honesty as the quartet tackle some very uncomfortable subjects head on. This is heavy in the most evocative sense of the word. The blunt lyrics are equally as important as the music.
SVALBARD are:
Vocals/Guitar – Serena Cherry
Vocals/Guitar – Liam Phelan
Drums – Mark Lilley
Bass – Matt Francis
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