Symphonic metal legends KAMELOT have announced their 14th studio album, ‚Dark Asylum‘, set for release on August 28, 2026 via Napalm Records. The record ventures into the haunting halls of the fictional RavenHill Asylum, blending orchestral grandeur with dark theatrical storytelling. A world tour launching on the album’s release date will bring the immersive concept to stages across North America and Europe.Symphonic metal legends KAMELOT are set to return with their fourteenth studio album, ‚Dark Asylum‘, scheduled for release on August 28, 2026 via Napalm Records. The announcement marks another milestone for a band whose catalogue includes chart-topping records such as ‚Haven‘ (Billboard Hard Rock Charts No. 1), ‚The Shadow Theory‘ (Billboard Hard Rock Charts No. 2), and ‚The Awakening‘ (Billboard Hard Rock Charts No. 2, German Top 10).
Conceptually, ‚Dark Asylum‘ transports listeners behind the gates of the RavenHill Asylum, a crumbling Victorian institution where science, faith, and madness converge. Founder and guitarist Thomas Youngblood describes the record as a journey through fractured memories and psychological torment, ultimately seeking redemption beneath layers of fear and illusion. Frontman Tommy Karevik adds that the album explores the duality of human nature — the tension between chaos and stillness, despair and hope — arriving at the conclusion that healing is found within rather than without.
Produced by longtime collaborator Sascha Paeth, with mixing and mastering handled by Jacob Hansen, ‚Dark Asylum‘ features a remarkable array of guest performers. Among them are Ignacia Fernández, Clémentine Delauney of VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, AVANTASIA mastermind Tobias Sammet, violinist Lea-Sophie Fischer of ELUVEITIE, and vocalists Rannveig Sif Sigurðardóttir and Sólveig Sara Leupold.
The 15-track album will be available in an extensive range of formats including multiple coloured vinyl variants, a 2-CD Earbook with instrumental versions, cassette, and digital editions. A world tour — the Dark Asylum World Tour — launches on release day, with legs covering North America, the Netherlands (KAMFEST), and mainland Europe through November 2026, supported by VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, FROZEN CROWN, EXIT EDEN, and TEMPERANCE.
Photo: Timo Maczollek / Nat Enemede