Release Date: October 16, 2026 | Label: Napalm Records
Italian symphonic power metal band TEMPERANCE return with Arcani, their eighth studio album, released via Napalm Records on October 16, 2026. Inspired by the Tarot and its Major Arcana, the record unfolds across 13 tracks, each connected to a different card. Rather than serving as a direct concept album, Arcani uses these symbolic figures as a framework for musical exploration and storytelling.
Musically, TEMPERANCE build on their established combination of symphonic arrangements, melodic guitar work and powerful vocal harmonies. The interplay between the band’s three distinctive voices remains central to the album, bringing different shades of expression to its songs. According to guitarist Marco Pastorino, the band worked on the material over the course of a year, shaping epic arrangements, vocal harmonies and guitar solos into a new chapter for TEMPERANCE.
From the Devil to the World
The album’s first single, “The Devil: Sin, Sin, Sin,” introduces the darker side of Arcani. Dramatic instrumentation and a sinister atmosphere meet an infectious chorus, with the band’s multiple vocalists providing much of the track’s impact. The song opens the door to the Tarot-inspired world that runs throughout the record.
A different emotional perspective emerges in “Death: Right Before We Die.” The mid-tempo track draws on an experience shared by the band while touring. During Sabaton Cruise 2024, the restaurant where the musicians were having dinner in Tallinn, Estonia, caught fire. Marco Pastorino wrote the song’s main melody that same day.
As vocalist Kristin Starkey explains, the track deals with mortality, survival and the importance of human connection. Instead of approaching death solely through despair, the song focuses on appreciating the present and the relationships that give life meaning.
Elsewhere, Arcani explores contrasting musical approaches. “The Tower: Lean Into Fear” introduces a hard-rock edge, while “The Hanged Man: Petrichor” moves from acoustic guitar passages into heavier territory, bringing together different elements of the band’s sound. “The Moon: The Man of Moonlight” takes a more restrained approach, while the closing track, “The World,” concludes the album with acoustic guitar and predominantly female vocals.
The sequence mirrors the symbolism of the Major Arcana without turning the record into a conventional concept album. Instead, the individual songs offer distinct moods and perspectives, connected by the album’s overarching Tarot theme.
A new chapter for TEMPERANCE
With Arcani, TEMPERANCE continue to develop the sound that has defined their modern symphonic power metal: expansive arrangements, memorable melodies and the interplay of multiple vocalists. The band also describes the album’s lyrics as the most personal of their career, with group writing sessions helping to strengthen the connection between its members.
The album was mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, while Thomas Ewerhard created the cover artwork.
Across its 13 tracks, Arcani combines the dramatic symbolism of Tarot with the band’s melodic and symphonic strengths. It is a record built around contrasting emotions, personal experiences and a varied musical palette, marking another chapter in TEMPERANCE’s ongoing evolution.
Tracklist
- The Fool
- The Magician: Into the Fire
- Death: Right Before We Die
- The Tower: Lean Into Fear
- The Devil: Sin, Sin, Sin
- Temperance: Forgiveness
- The Chariot: Alla Ricerca dell’America
- Justice: Shame & Glory
- The Star: Surrender Control
- Wheel of Fortune: Come and Call Me
- The Moon: The Man of Moonlight
- The Hanged Man: Petrichor
- The World
Stream the Album on Spotify:
TEMPERANCE – Arcani was released on October 16, 2026, via Napalm Records.
Source: Temperance/Napalm Records