Times are hard, we know. And while Tina Turner may have declared some time ago that we don’t need another hero, the opposite seems to be true. We need heroes, we need anthems, we need perseverance. And fast! Luckily for us, ELEINE have heard the call and are rising to the occasion in spectacular fashion.
They’ve remained a force with which to be reckoned within blackened symphonic metal ever since their acclaimed breakthrough »Dancing In Hell« (2020). »We Shall Remain,« the band’s vibrant, muscular, and plainly outstanding new manifesto, is the album the world of heavy metal so desperately needs. A rite of passage for the band, a collection of anthems for their ever-growing legions, following a simple creed: We’re in this together. And we will get through this. As long as we stand together.
Fueled by massive support tours with KAMELOT in Europe and MOONSPELL in North America, »We Shall Remain« is the dark symphonic magnum opus we all hoped for. It’s massive, epic, and terrifyingly dark. Yet it’s also tantalizingly seductive – an untamed beast you don’t want to get on the wrong side of.
“We feel that »We Shall Remain« is a natural follow-up to the previous album »Dancing In Hell.« Fans who connected with »Dancing In Hell« will connect with »We Shall Remain.« Only on a deeper and more connected level, as songs like the uplifting empowerment movement ‚We Are Legion‘ underline,” says vocalist Madeleine.
Written back in 2021-2022, during the face of a raging pandemic, and recorded at their own headquarters as well as Thomas “Plec” Johansson’s distinguished The Panic Room Studio, where mixing and mastering also took place, »We Shall Remain« is a promise that is much more than just an album. Music and lyrics are bold, confident messages of belief in oneself and belief in the invisible bond the world of metal shares – a far cry from the “stories of inner demons, strength and loss” we had on »Dancing In Hell.« “This one is full of songs that focus on strength, moments of realization and the process of coming back to yourself,” says Rikard, adding proudly: “Together we are strong.” It’s not just empty words, too: Both he and Madeleine know what it feels like to hit rock bottom. “The nothingness and emptiness are paralyzing,” he says. “We know the importance of an empowering and uplifting voice, and we want our fans to feel powerful within themselves.”
Madeleine adds her own story: “I only found my way up from the bottom because of our fans. I don’t want to sound cheesy or anything, I’m dead serious: The only reason I got out of bed that day was because I knew we had fans on our Patreon fan club and I felt I should try and push myself to be creative and create some content for them. They believe in us, they joined this fan club and they contribute financially to us. Even if it was just a post about what work was like that day, I felt happier for a brief moment to see that their interest in our work was so great. I was reminded of why I chose this as a career, why I work so hard to achieve the goals we set for ourselves. I am forever grateful for that, but that doesn’t mean there are never any dark spots.” That makes »We Shall Remain« all the more important. It’s a game changer and a life saver. Literally.
With a sound that is both “clear as day and brutal as hell,” as Madeleine puts it, ELEINE reach for the stars. They made a lot of promises with their last releases. Now they keep those promises and take the big leap into the unknown. With bassist Filip Stålberg becoming the latest permanent member in their midst, ELEINE are eager, hungry for more and more than ready to take on the challenges ahead. The record is filled with songs to die for, with huge melodies, crushing riffs, and an insane vocal range and orchestral grandeur. Led into battle by uber-hit ‚We Are Legion,‘ a tribute to their own ELEINE legions, the whole record spawns songs that will ring loudly on future festival and club stages. Then there’s ‚Never Forget,‘ “a song about finding your way back to yourself, reclaiming your life and making it your own again,” as the band say. ‚Stand By The Flame‘ sings the same tune, about believing in yourself, about fighting against all odds, no matter what the cost. One of the most special songs, however, is the one with the German title ‚War Das Alles.‘ Written in one of the darkest hours, this German poem by Madeleine translates into one of the most touching and intimate moments on »We Shall Remain.«
The soaring title track is the final exclamation point on one of the most important symphonic metal albums in recent years, if you can call this symphonic metal in all honesty. It has symphonic elements, but ELEINE stand out with their unique sound within the genre with influences from all black, death and thrash metal.
“You can either give up right here and now or you can reconnect with your fire,” says Rikard. “We all need to realize that we have others on our side. To embrace the will to live, to thrive and to rise again.” You see, this is exactly why metal is the best health potion in the whole wide world.
Find all links (Streaming, Social Media) here:
TRACK LISTING: 01. Never Forget 02. Stand By The Flame 03. We Are Legion 04. Promise Of Apocalypse 05. Blood In Their Eyes 06. Vemod 07. Through The Mist 08. Suffering 09. War Das Alles 10. We Shall Remai
Line-up:
Madeleine Liljestam | vocals Rikard Ekberg | guitars, vocals Filip Stålberg | bass Jesper Sunnhagen | drums
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