ART GATES RECORDS
Finnish melodic heavy metal band Grey Sky Bleed are ready to make their mark with Only Dust You Are, arriving November 20 via Art Gates Records. Ten tracks bring together classic heavy metal roots, a wide range of influences and a call for humility in the face of nature and the universe.
Vocalist and keyboardist Jukka Ruostila recalls the band’s unexpected beginnings:
“Originally, the idea was simply to make a couple of songs with old bandmates just for fun. However, things got a bit out of hand and suddenly we had a record deal from Spain (Art Gates Records). Whoopsie-daisy!”
“We already had several songs done and around these we started to build a full length album,” adds drummer Sami Romppainen. “We thought about it quite carefully so that the musical diversity of the album would be broad enough.”
Drawing on the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and echoes of the 1990s, the band keep their musical horizons open:
“Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Tarot, etc. are definitely part of it, but there are also influences that have been mixed in open-mindedly on a wide scale across genre boundaries,” explains Jukka.
About the lyrics:
“I guess the album is kinda questioning the arrogance of our species and calling out for a little humility in front of nature and the universe,” Jukka reflects.
The cover artwork was created by Sami Romppainen. The album was produced by Jukka Ruostila and Sami Romppainen, mixed by Jukka Ruostila, and mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde at Virtalähde Mastering.
Tracklist:
1 The Serpent With The Crown
2 Dust Thou Art (feat. Dyecrest)
3 Godspeed
4 Burden Of Dreams
5 We Share The End (feat. Liisa Paakkunainen)
6 Voices In The Dark
7 Plague Mind
8 Thoughts & Prayers (feat. Kärtsy Hatakka)
9 The Fortress
10 The Lie
One of the album’s most special songs is Dust Thou Art, a forthcoming single yet to be unveiled, featuring fellow Art Gates Records band Dyecrest. Heidi Aaltonen contributes lead vocals, joined by Henri Arola, Pirkka Ohlis and Matti Pasanen on backing vocals. Liisa Paakkunainen and Kärtsy Hatakka also make guest appearances on the record.
Over the past few months, Grey Sky Bleed have been building anticipation with a series of singles, the latest of which, We Share The End, is inspired by the novel The Road.
Only Dust You Are arrives November 20 via Art Gates Records. Pre-save it now and turn it up!
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