Bristol’s Svalbard have announced their highly anticipated new studio album, ‘The Weight Of The Mask’, which is due out on the 6th of October via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow up to the bands exceptional 2020’s album ‘When I Die, Will I Get Better?’ was dubbed by Metal Hammer UK as “the most important British metal record of 2020”.
Along with the news the band have shared the video for new single ‘Faking It’ taken from the album. The track lays bare a poignant, candid account of dealing with depression and coming to the realisation that you are “faking it” to just get by.
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.
Svalbard’s Serena Cherry stated,
“If the previous record was about facing your demons, then The Weight of The Mask is about fighting them with everything you’ve got. You can literally hear the depression transform into aggression in these songs. The Weight of The Mask was admittedly a challenging album to make because we cut so deep this time around, it was a painful but ultimately cathartic process. This album is the sound of two years worth of internal darkness boiling away inside and then finally being unleashed.”
“Faking It is a song about feeling deprived of meaningful human connection due to depression acting like a wall that shuts you off from others. It addresses the ways in which those who suffer with depression can feel guilted into putting on a happy mask. The lyrics are a reflection on happiness as a social obligation and how scarily good you can become at deceiving everyone around you into thinking that you’re fine when you’re not. With Faking It, we are both acknowledging the pressure for forced positivity, the fear that people won’t like you if you’re sad and also questioning where the root of this intolerance towards depression lies.”
Anthemic in all the right places Svalbard return swinging punches and picking up the fight where the previous record left off. Cherry leads the charge with her scorching vocals backed by the relentless pounding from Mark Lilley and the unstoppable wall of sound crafted by Matt Francis and Liam Phelan along with cherry herself on guitar duties. A huge return from one of 2020’s most vital bands.
Check it out, here
Find out more via the bands Facebook
The beautiful album artwork was created by artist and illustrator Hestor Aspland, with layout by Lee O’Connor.
Serena Cherry stated about the album artwork,
“We have been huge fans of Hester Aspland’s Illustration since we saw her stunning art work carved into a wooden table at our favourite metal bar, The Gryphon. The intricate, floral aspect of her artwork for The Weight of The Mask reflects the sonic beauty within our melodies. Then the bleaker animal skull mask symbolises the lyrical content. Working with Hester was an absolute dream and we love the art she has created for us.”
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
The Weight Of The Mask will be available in the following formats
- CD Jewel Case
- LP
- 1LP Crystal Clear w/Black Marble
- 1LP Purple w/Black Splatter (band exclusive)
- Digital Album
