Swedish gothic doom pioneers DRACONIAN release their eighth studio album, In Somnolent Ruin, on May 8, 2026, via Napalm Records.

The undisputed leaders of the second wave of gothic doom metal, DRACONIAN, are finally back with new material—and stronger than ever! Their new studio album, In Somnolent Ruin, will be released on May 8, 2026, via Napalm Records. In Somnolent Ruin is one of the most personal albums in the band’s discography, as revealed in the dreamlike journey through nine tracks and the poetic lyrics of singer Anders Jacobsson. The new album marks the return of longtime singer Lisa Johansson, who was featured on the band’s first five albums and now joins Anders Jacobsson on vocals once again. The lineup on the new album has been touring together since 2022, giving the album a special live feel.

As a recurring theme on In Somnolent Ruin, DRACONIAN deal with Plato’s theory of the soul—an element that was not planned from the outset, but crystallized organically during the creation of the new album, which was once again written, recorded, and arranged by Johan Ericson.

Johan Ericson on the new album:
The initial concept for In Somnolent Ruin, essentially the embryo, dates back to 2021. It began with the song „Misanthrope River,“ a title that had existed since the demo days of Under a Godless Veil and had finally found its appropriate musical accompaniment. As the small fragments slowly grew into real songs, my inspiration to write continued to grow.
I was heavily inspired by art and other musicians – from dark folk to eerie ambient music – which helped me maintain my creative energy. Early on, I had a clear idea of the overall mood I wanted to achieve for the album: classic doom intertwined with ambient soundscapes. I also wanted to have a wide variety of songs on the album without losing the overarching gothic feel that ties everything together and gives the album a consistent atmosphere.“

Anders Jacobsson adds:
„It took quite a long time for the album to feel like a whole. We didn’t agree on the final track list until very late in the process, as each piece slowly came together – the vocals found their place, ideas overlapped, and a real sense of collaboration allowed the songs to evolve. In the end, the music transforms into something that seemed almost unimaginable at the beginning of the process.
For me personally, it was a fascinating but also challenging experience. At times, I had difficulty imagining how everything would ultimately fit together, and there were moments of doubt throughout the process. But in the end, everything fell into place, and all the uncertainty and self-reflection were more than worth it. For me, the creative process is always closely linked to self-reflection, and this album demanded a lot of that from me.
It was without question the album that I found most difficult to fully comprehend and work through – but perhaps that’s what makes the end result all the more exciting and, in my opinion, quite remarkable. It took a long time…
It was fantastic to work with Lisa again, and Daniel Johansson opening up new dimensions on the drums added an extra layer of depth to the whole process.“