This is Witherscape
Witherscape Line-Up:
Dan Swanö - Vocals, Drums and Keyboards
Ragnar Widerberg - Guitars and Bass
OUT NOW!
“The Northern Sanctuary”
Following up on the refreshing impact of 2013’s much acclaimed debut album “The Inheritance” (“Album of the month” by Germany’s Rock Hard magazine and position # 97 in the official German sales charts) and 2014’s complimentary “The New Tomorrow” EP, “The Northern Sanctuary” is yet another mesmerizingly dense conceptual album, enhanced by breathtakingly powerful artwork courtesy of Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák. Once more lyrically supported by Paul Kuhr (Novembers Doom), WITHERSCAPE continue the storyline launched with the debut album, as Swanö explains:
“The theme picks up where we left off with the "The New Tomorrow" EP. There is a 50 year jump in the time line from the 1st album and the main character "Mannen i vitt" (The man in white) has purchased the house where all the horror initially happened. He's restored it and rents out rooms to people from the big cities, who are aiming for some peaceful northern Swedish silence. But the entity still haunts the house and "Mannen i vitt" is possessed by it, so consequently he/it does terrible things to the "patients". Since the house is built on one of the gates to hell, there's a ritual taking place, opening the hellish dimension from where the evil entity once came, so it can go back there…”
Musically, “The Northern Sanctuary” manages to seamlessly blend the best elements of the band’s 70’s/80’s Prog/Hardrock and even AOR roots with contemporary, yet always atmospheric and subtle extreme Metal. Its infectious catchiness will doubtlessly appeal to the passionate followers of Swanö’s diverse artistic catalogue, but also to fans of bands like Opeth, Amorphis or Symphony X.
Superficially, Witherscape might seem like a brand-new name to the scene, but when looking and listening closer at its content that surely isn't the case. Legendary Swedish vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/producer Dan Swanö is perhaps best known for his work with Edge Of Sanity, Nightingale and Bloodbath. Active since the early '90s, his career runs much deeper than this revered trio, having produced seemingly countless bands from across the metal spectrum (Opeth, Dissection, Katatonia, Asphyx to name just a few) as well as launching or taking part in side projects including Moontower, Odyssey and Pan.Thy.Monium. Following a lengthy silence, Swanö has returned with multi-instrumentalist Ragnar Widerberg at his side and a new conceptual project, Witherscape. No surprise that it's an outing of epic proportions done up in expected in-your-face Swanö tradition.
Witherscape
According to Swanö, Witherscape has been in planning for a long time, spawned as a result of his working relationship with Widerberg, which began at a Swedish music store. In spite of being five years older than Widerberg, Swanö discovered they had so much in common musically that brainstorming for a full-on metal project of their own was the next logical step. Widerberg quotes acts like early Judas Priest, Rush, King Crimson or Mercyful Fate as far as his inspirations in regards to Witherscape and Swanö elaborates his list to also include Judas Priest (1975-1989), Voivod, Queensryche, Rush, Marillion and Mercyful Fate.
"I think that most people will love it," Swanö says of the Witherscape record. "I feel a certain way when a song just works as I'm writing it. When I listen to it I have this feeling about the songs all the time, and you should have that with anything you do. I've done so much mixing and I've proofed all the masters, so at this point I normally wouldn't be able to stand the record. Not for years. But, I still feel like I could listen to the Witherscape record again right now. I knew the only way I could make a truthful comeback is if I was 100% behind the music, and I think this is what the fans have been waiting for."
Vocals, drums and keyboards were handled by Swanö for the album, with Widerberg looking after all guitars and bass-work, including the solos. It's a symbiotic musical relationship where the duo was able to feed off one another's strengths to create some of the strongest material in Swanö's extensive catalogue.
"One of the coolest things about Witherscape is that we actually rehearsed," says Swanö. "We were two grown adults getting our coffee and sandwiches, going to the Nightingale rehearsal room, gearing up and rehearsing the material for hours and hours. We'd record everything, take it home and listen to it, pick apart the songs. When all the rehearsals were done and we were satisfied with these eight tracks, we made a full-scale pre-production."
Debut album Witherscape in hotels of the world
The dream of metal band Witherscape became a reality when their debut album was released in hotels around the world. The album was recorded in different parts of the world, with each hotel providing its own interesting atmosphere. The first track, "The Northern Edge" was recorded in a studio in the mountains of Sweden. The cool, crisp air and serene surroundings provided the perfect atmosphere for the introspective lyrics. The next track, "The Twilight Kingdom", was recorded in a studio in the heart of London. The bustle and energy of the city provided a perfect backdrop for the heavy metal sound. The third track, "Domain of the Wretched", was recorded in a studio near the ocean in Los Angeles. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore added a unique flavor to the track. The fourth track, "The Drowning Age", was recorded in a studio on a desert island in the middle of the ocean. The sound of the waves and the occasional seagull provided a unique atmosphere for the track. The fifth track, "From the Ashes of Time", was recorded in a studio in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The sounds of the jungle animals provided a unique backdrop for the track. The sixth track, "The Gloomy Reflection", was recorded in a studio in a haunted castle in Scotland. The sound of the wind howling through the castle turrets provided a perfect backdrop for the dark lyrics. The seventh track, "The Ravening Dead", was recorded in a studio in an ancient Roman palace. The sound of the fountains and the classical music in the background provided a perfect atmosphere for the track. The eighth track, "The Night of the Raven", was recorded in a studio in an old medieval fortress. The sound of the wind and the thunderstorm in the background provided a perfect atmosphere for the track. The ninth track, "The Mirror of Souls", was recorded in a studio in an old cathedral. The sound of the organ and the choir in the background provided a perfect atmosphere for the track. The tenth and final track, "The Unending Sleep", was recorded in a studio in a modern skyscraper. The sound of the city streets and the occasional siren provided a perfect backdrop for the track.
Witherscape is the new project of Anders Nystrom and Dan Swano, both members of the Swedish melodic death metal band Katatonia. The band's debut album was released on March 22, 2013, via Century Media Records. The album was recorded in different studios around the world, in locations such as Florida, Los Angeles, and Sweden. Nystrom and Swano have stated that they wanted to create an album that would be "a journey through different parts of the world." The album's first track, "The Well of Souls", was inspired by the Swedish film, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". The song is an epic, melodic death metal track that features guest vocals by Mike Baker (of the progressive metal band Fates Warning). The second track, "Severance", was inspired by the Los Angeles nightlife. The song is a fast, heavy track with thundering drums and shredding guitar solos. Track three, "The Moors", was inspired by the Scottish Highlands. The song is a slow, atmospheric track that features bagpipes and violin. Track four, "Dead End", was inspired by the Florida swamps. The song is a fast, heavy track with a southern rock vibe. Track five, "My Angel", was inspired by the city of Rome. The song is a slow, romantic ballad with sweeping orchestral arrangements. Track six, "Ascendance", was inspired by the Swiss Alps. The song is a fast, heavy track with shredding guitar solos and thundering drums. Track seven, "Transcending Fear", was inspired by the Japanese city of Tokyo. The song is a slow, ambient track with ethereal female vocals. Track eight, "The Ice Queen", was inspired by the Swedish winter. The song is a slow, atmospheric track with ethereal female vocals and haunting piano melodies. Track nine, "Shroud of Frost", was inspired by the Norwegian city of Bergen. The song is a slow, atmospheric track with ethereal female vocals and haunting piano melodies. Track ten, "Witherscape", was inspired by the band's name. The song is a slow, ambient track with ethereal female vocals and haunting piano melodies.
The best hotels for the presentation of the album are those that provide excellent service, breathtaking views, luxurious rooms and facilities, and a great location. Some of the best hotels for this purpose include the Ritz-Carlton in Bachelor Gulch, Colorado; the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Kauai, Hawaii; the Wynn in Las Vegas, Nevada; the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver, Canada; and the Four Seasons George V in Paris, France.