VOLA has announced a new studio album, “Friend Of A Phantom”, which will be released on November 1 via Mascot Records. In celebration of the announcement, the quartet has revealed the official video for their new song “Break My Lying Tongue”. The band will also play festivals over the summer and their headline “Friend Of A Phantom” European tour begins also on November 1.
It has been three years since the release of VOLA‘s defining album “Witness”. It was a sonic assault that captured their signature blend of thoughtful labyrinthine narratives with crushing riffs and experimental sophistication. Heavy/quiet and dark/light were combined with elements of tech-metal, progressive alt-rock, electronica, and stadium-sized choruses. Surpassing an incredible 27.5 million streams, the album was lauded with international acclaim from Metal Hammer, Prog magazine, Distorted Sound and Kerrang! Radio and TV in the U.K., reaching No. 7 in the Rock And Metal Albums chart. SiriusXM picked them up for multiple tracks, also featuring on the SXM Liquid Metal Next Wave Concert Series. The album also reached the Top 20 in the Billboard Current Hard Rock chart, Top 25 in the Billboard New Artist/Heatseekers Album chart, and was named one of Loudwire‘s albums of the year.
VOLA has since wrapped up two tours of the U.S. with several venues upgraded due to overwhelming demand, as well as sold-out shows in New York, Chicago and the iconic Troubadour in Los Angeles, where the band struck up a friendship with IN FLAMES‘ Anders Fridén, who features on the new album. Their first tour of Canada resulted in sold-out shows in Toronto and Montreal, and they rounded off the continent with triumphant South American shows in Mexico, Brazil, and a sold-out show in Chile.
The strength of the Danish-Swedish quartet — Asger Mygind (vocals/guitar),Martin Werner (keys),Nicolai Mogensen (bass) and Adam Janzi (drums) — has always been combining a multitude of ideas within a single song, packing it in with a grandiose power that can be as ferocious as it can be delicate.
Talking about their evolution, Janzi says: “We have had the time to internalize ‘Witness’ and let its aftermath sink in, which has shaped how we approached ‘Friend Of A Phantom’. Our personal tastes have changed, the way we approach our instruments and songwriting has changed, our lives have changed, time has passed, and adventures have been had. Whatever piece of melancholy that ‘Witness’ had, has just grown and become a central part of this new album. I feel that VOLA has grown and reached a new moment in its life, maturing.”
With the announcement of the new album, they have revealed the video for “Break My Lying Tongue”. The song showcases VOLA‘s signature blend of introspective lyrics and intricate soundscapes, offering a deep dive into themes of misalignment and emotional vulnerability. With its haunting melodies and thought-provoking lyrics, it stands out as a powerful and evocative piece.
Last year they released the first taster of new material when they dropped “Paper Wolf”. Talking about the song, Mygind offers “We never put boundaries on our songwriting but merely search for a direction that feels unexplored and exciting to us. With ‘Paper Wolf’, we suddenly found ourselves in a territory where an old-school metal atmosphere crept into our blend of sounds. We liked what we heard and then ran with it at full speed.”
“Cannibal” kicks off “Friend Of A Phantom”. Featuring IN FLAMES‘ Anders Fridén on vocals, it plants a marker in the ground for what you’re about to experience as the album navigates around the hypnotically ethereal “We Will Not Disband” through to “Hollow Kid”, with Mogensen “Frankenstein riff,” as he explains. “I wanted to blend the essence of METALLICA‘s ‘Enter Sandman’ with the low tuning and polyrhythms of MESHUGGAH,” he says. “The song’s intro riff was the result, and it inspired the rest of the track.”
VOLA has been one of Europe’s most exciting metal bands in recent years, catapulting them onto the international stage. They’ve become a formidable live draw that has seen them also tour with Devin Townsend — including playing the Royal Albert Hall London; they’ve opened for EVANESCENCE and played festivals such as ArcTanGent (U.K.),Graspop Metal Meeting (Belgium),Tuska (Finland),Roskilde (Denmark),Copenhell (Denmark),CL Prog (Chile) and more.
Talking about the touring, Janzi opens up: “It is very tough with all the travelling, short nights, and intense work. But it is so rewarding! Playing music, meeting nice people from all over the world, and seeing these places. Culture is important!”
Known for their innovative approach to progressive metal, VOLA continues to captivate audiences with their blend of intense rhythmic complexity and poignant lyrical narratives. With this perpetual evolution, the pressure doesn’t consume them. “There is always the pressure of continuing to climb the mountain,” reflects Janzi. “Embracing change and whatever new chapters may wait around the corner is a way to make life more enjoyable.”
“Friend Of A Phantom” track listing:
01. Cannibal (feat. Anders Fridén of IN FLAMES)
02. Break My Lying Tongue
03. We Will Not Disband
04. Glass Mannequin
05. Bleed Out
06. Paper Wolf
07. I Don’t Know How We Got Here
08. Hollow Kid
09. Tray
Photo credit: Heli Andrea