It is with great pleasure that we can finally announce that Sanctuary are officially continuing on. This small string of US dates will serve as the starting point of many more things to come. To celebrate the deep history of the band and the connection the fans have with us, we will perform Refuge Denied in its entirety, along with other popular songs. Along for this journey, Ghost Ship Octavius (Van Williams former Nevermore) will be joining us. 2019 will be an exciting year.
Today US dark melodic metal masters WITHERFALL have released “A Prelude to Sorrow”, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017’s “Nocturnes and Requiems”. Listen to the album in its entirety HERE.
Watch an unboxing video of “A Prelude To Sorrow” HERE.
The media reaction to the album has been nothing short of extraordinary:
"A Prelude To Sorrow" provides the listener a cathartic release through some of the most mesmerizing music I have ever heard. The savage brilliance of this album is stunning
-9.5/10 -Metal Wani-
One of the most talented acts in metal; check this out and be impressed
-Angry Metal Guy-
The turmoil of WITHERFALL‘s chaotic, highly technical and dramatic performance is as impressive as ever.
-Distorted Sound Magazine-
-5/5 Metal Hammer.de-
I implore you listen to ‘A Prelude to Sorrow’ so that you too can share in an album that is as moving as it is memorable, as emotional as it is engaging, as intelligent as it is intimate and that is as heavy lyrically as it is musically. In short, it’s a sonic tour-de-force.
- 9.8/10 Man of Much Metal-
A Prelude To Sorrow" is one of the recordings of the year.
-Rock Hard Greece-
‘We are Nothing’ and ‘Vintage’ being the shining stars. Both songs are 11 minute compositions reminding of the best, progressive metal offered till today.
-9/10 Markusheavymusicblog-
WITHERFALL understand how to package perfectly negative emotions in such a way that a large whole emerges. Despite the blows of fate (or maybe just because of that), the band grows beyond itself. Actually, it cannot get better.
- 9/10 Hell-fire magazine-
8.5 / 10 Joseph Michael’s powerful voice belongs to the best of the genre.
-ROCK HARD (Ger) Soundcheck #9-
-AARDSCHOK (NL) Soundcheck #3-
90 / 100 A blasting album where technique and vibe fit perfectly together!
-LORDSOFMETAL.NL-
9 / 10 – WITHERFALL have delivered an impressive follow-up
-BURNYOUREARS.DE-
Magnificent!
-9/10 Rock Tribune (B)-
‘A Prelude To Sorrow’ overwhelmed me upon first listen and has enough interesting details to keep surprising me"
-Gitarist (NL)-
Bolstered by a clear, crisp recording, this album is an essential listen for any heavy/power/progressive metal fan.
-Wonder Box Metal-
On “A Prelude to Sorrow”, main songwriters Joseph Michael (vocals, Sanctuary – live) and Jake Dreyer (Iced Earth) succeeded in perfectly combining the group’s technical proficiency with an appropriate eerie and somber atmosphere, manifesting also in Kristian Wåhlin’s majestic cover painting. “A Prelude to Sorrow” was mixed and mastered by Chris “Zeuss” Harris. (Sanctuary, Queensryche, Iced Earth)
The album is available as a Limited Edition Digipak, jewel case CD (US only), gatefold 2LP plus poster and etching on Side D as well as digital album.
US dark melodic metal masters WITHERFALL will release the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017’s “Nocturnes and Requiems” on November 2nd, 2018. The band reveals more details about this stunning new offering:
“A Prelude To Sorrow is a concept record, though not in the sense that most people have come to know the form. Ours is not a story where each song acts as a chapter. The inspiration lays in the supremely dark reality that was the passing of our drummer and one of our best friends Adam Sagan. These songs are raw emotional reflections, composed in the witching hours under the influence of wine and sorrow, while watching and helping our friend fight and ultimately lose his battle with Lymphoma. Nocturnes and Requiems was dedicated to Adam after the fact. A Prelude to Sorrow is written specifically about his and our personal tragedy. Like Nocturnes and Requiems the songs have been arranged to still have the peaks and valleys that any great record should. With “Prelude” these peaks just might be a little steeper and the valleys might be a little deeper, alternating between violence and beauty. The titles initials are an acronym for “Adam Paul Sagan”, He came up with Nocturnes and Requiems so we suppose it is kind of fitting that he also inspired this title. Hope he doesn’t come knocking on our door for royalties. We hope that this will be a fitting requiem for our friend and talented musician.”
Given its tragic background, main songwriters Joseph Michael (vocals, Sanctuary – live) and Jake Dreyer (guitars, Iced Earth) succeeded in perfectly combining the group’s technical proficiency with an appropriate eerie and somber atmosphere, manifesting also in Kristian Wåhlin’s majestic cover painting. For mix and mastering, WITHERFALL again worked with Chris “Zeuss” Harris (Sanctuary, Queensryche, Iced Earth).
An album artwork trailer can be seen here: https://youtu.be/-P18I1viXGA
The “A Prelude To Sorrow” track list can be viewed below:
WITHERFALL – A Prelude To Sorrow
1. A Prelude To Sorrow (1:21)
2. We Are Nothing (11:15)
3. Moment Of Silence (6:50)
4. Communion Of The Wicked (6:35)
5. Maridian’s Visitation (3:30)
6. Shadows (7:03)
7. Ode To Despair (3:51)
8. The Call (3:52)
9. Vintage (11:06)
10. Epilogue (2:53)
The album will be released as Limited Edition Digipak, jewelcase CD (US only), gatefold 2LP plus poster and etching on Side D as well as digital album.
The following limited vinyl colours are available:
Seattle metal legends SANCTUARY kicked off their North American tour with ICED EARTH (Thursday, February 22) at Old National Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana.
These shows are acting as a tribute to the musical legacy of SANCTUARY singer Warrel Dane, who passed away last December. Guest vocals for SANCTUARY on the trek are being provided by Joseph Michael (WITHERFALL). Also joining the band on the road is second guitarist Joey Concepcion ...
Nocturnes and Requiems is Witherfall’s debut album. How do you feel it represents your sound? Jake Dreyer: I think that we really did a good job on capturing the sound and atmosphere that we were going for. We just wanted to have a record that we personally wanted to listen to. The songs have to come first, we love memorable hooks but also complex instrumental passages that keep us as players interested. All of the parts just flowed during the writing process; nothing was forced. We are currently working on the follow up to Nocturnes, expected in the third quarter of 2018. The sound on that is just an expansion of Nocturnes and Requiems. It’s darker, heavier in some sections and lighter and more dynamic than Nocturnes in others. It might look ridiculous on paper but when one listens, they will understand.
Joseph Michael: I think that the record is exactly as we imagined it. Jake and I sat down to write this record about a month after we left White Wizzard. I could not be happier with the result. The reception from the fans has been remarkable and long lasting. The album is still doing well a year later. READ MORE AT DECIBEL:
Hey guys Witherfall guitarist Jake Dreyer and Singer Joseph Michael will be out on the Iced Earth & Sanctuary Tour From February 22nd til April!!!! Get your tickets here and Come and say hello \../,
Today the band releases their new video for the song ‘Portrait’ taken from their full-length debut, “Nocturnes and Requiems”. The video was post-production on the video was completed by renowned producer/director Eduardo Rodriguez known for: Fright Night 2 and El Gringo. Watch the exclusive premiere of the video HERE, courtesy of Decibel Magazine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M2Sa8nsdzQ&feature=youtu.be
The band told Decibel about the video, “Witherfall never settle for anything less than perfection in everything do. We have spent the last year searching for the right Video Production Team. A writer/Director that shared our epic vision vision of "Portrait". With multiple locations, a cast and crew of over a dozen as well as adverse filming conditions notwithstanding; It was already an ambitious effort to do a music video like this in the current climate of the industry. To us, it was either go big or go home. We want to thank all of the cast and crew that handled "The Shining" like conditions of the “Portrait” music video production.”
CAST AND CREW
Ghost- Zel Romero
Wife - Sarah French
Husband – James Preston
Directed - KasterTroy
Director of Photography – Ryder Page
Camera Operator – Tyki Sato
Editor – KasterTroy
Post Production – Eduardo Rodriguez
Screenplay – KasterTroy
Lacey Hawk
Hair and Makeup – Elizabeth Aston
WITHERFALL are currently out on high seas as part of the 70000 Tons of Metal Cruise. Following that show, frontman Joseph Michael will perform vocals for Sanctuary as a part of a Warrel Dane tribute on Iced Earth’s North American tour. A complete list of dates can be found HERE.
BIO
In August 2017 Witherfall signed a worldwide Recording contract with Century Media Records. Their Debut album Nocturnes and Requiems has been re-released in territories outside the Untied States on October 6th 2017. Witherfall has also secured a deal with Japanese imprint Ward Records for distribution in Japan. A bonus track titled "The Long Walk Home (December)" is included as a bonus on the Ward Records re-release.
In December 2017 Witherfall booked their first Live Appearance on 70000 Tons Of Metal Cruise and announced the first live lineup including Steve Bolognese (ex-Into Eternity) and Anthony Crawford (Alan Holdsworth/Virgil Donati) Witherfall vocalist Joseph Michael was chosen to pay tribute to the late Sanctuary/Nevermore vocalist Warrel Dane on a farewell tribute tour opening for Iced Earth in Feb-March 2018.
Joseph Michael - Vocals/Keyboards
Jake Dreyer - Guitars
Anthony Crawford - Bass
Steve Bolognese- Drums
Fili Bibiano - Guitar
Eager to resonate their ideas, WITHERFALL headed to Phoenix, Arizona to record their self produced debut album, "Nocturnes And Requiems", with engineer Ralph Patlan (MEGADETH, Brian "Head" Welch, MSG) in late 2014. The album was then sent on to New York City for mixing and mastering by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, QUEENSRŸCHE, HATEBREED) at Planet Z. Resulting in eight masterfully executed tracks featuring the group's dynamic blend of darkened melodic and progressive metal, "Nocturnes And Requiems" was released on February 10, 2017 Witherfall.com.
"Nocturnes And Requiems" is dedicated to the life of Adam Sagan, who passed on December 7, 2016 during the final stages of production. The band collectively commented: "This, as we know, is the last piece of work that Adam contributed and played on. "Adam's talent, passion and personality is woven throughout every part of this record as he was easily one third of the creative force."'Nocturnes and Requiems' was a name that Adam eerily came up with one evening when we were figuring out album titles, [and it] would not have sounded the way it does now without his immense contribution on and off the drums."Adam, we love you, and it's a tragedy that you were not able to see this release. You will always and forever be a member of WITHERFALL. Rest in peace, man."
WITHERFALL has revealed the album's debut single, "End Of Time", which can be seen/heard in the below lyric music video. Showcasing the melancholic cover artwork painted by Kristian Wåhlin (BATHORY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WINTERSUN), "End Of Time" presents a unique approach to the idea of a modern metal song with memorable melodic hooks, big choruses and dynamically aggressive vocals combined with virtuosic guitar playing reminiscent of the legends of the neoclassical shred guitar scene and a progressive rhythm section featuring modern extreme drumming techniques and fusion influenced bass lines.
Sanctuary Lineup:
Photo by Stephanie Cabral
