Swedish Cinematic Rock visionaries SARAYASIGN are back with their highly anticipated third full-length album, “Shadows Of The Dying Light,” set for release on October 31, 2025 via Black Lodge Records. Known for their immersive soundscapes and emotionally charged storytelling, the band takes a bold step into darker, more dynamic territory while preserving their signature Cinematic Rock identity. With contributions from renowned producer Jakob Herrmann and mixing/mastering legend Jacob Hansen, this new chapter promises to captivate fans of Atmospheric, Heavy, and Cinematic Rock alike. Ahead of the album’s release, Progressive Rock Journal is thrilled to bring you an exclusive interview with SARAYASIGN, exploring the creative process, inspirations, and vision behind “Shadows Of The Dying Light.”
“Shadows Of The Dying Light” has been described as darker and more emotionally intense than your previous work. Can you walk us through the concept and themes behind this album?
“Jesper here and I will try my best answering everything you wish to know. Certainly. Let me dive in deep and describe it in short.
SARAYASIGN – THE WORLD OF SARAYA
Concept / Prologue
In the beginning, the world of SARAYA belonged to the ancient gods, or as we refer to them; the architects that formed this creation. They shaped its lands, breathed life into its people — but in the creation of life something went terribly wrong, and as a result the architects abandoned it. From the ashes of creation, sinister entities took form — paranormal entities born of corruption and power — claiming the western wastelands as their own. Through the ages, their shadow spread. To preserve balance, the gods left behind a sacred book — a divine key to harmony and light. But man’s greed tore it apart. Thirty-two pages scattered across SARAYA, hidden and guarded by ancient runes…and by the firstborn — immortal protectors of the lost temple buried beneath the world. Each time a page is found, a rune ignites in the temple’s heart — a beacon leading toward restoration. When all are gathered, light will rise again, and the darkness will fall.
But there are those who hunt for power, not peace. Those who wish to see the world of man consumed by eternal shadow.
The race through time has begun. Across ages and dimensions, the chosen few rise — bound by fate, driven by hope —
to reclaim the lost pages…and save SARAYA from the dying light. This is the base narrative and within it there are two separate adventures taking place. One is about finding all the hidden pages and the restoration of the book. And the other captures the journey of a man that abandoned his fate as one of the hunters of the lost pages after falling in love. Hauntings and his true calling from his own past drive him to a terrible accident, which ultimately leaves him stuck in limbo. In the aftermath of his passing , the widow runs out in the woods and hangs herself and ends up in a coma, but her soul is taken by the Sandman (The gatekeeper of dreams and dimensions) and castaway to a place called “The Underdark” as an attempt to lure her husband towards her soul in the afterlife so The dark entities themselves can catch him and ultimately make him hunt down the pages for them and destroy them. Now, in a race against time, he needs to find a way to save his dying love and avoid being caught in the process. There´s more to this, but that´s scratching the surface of it all.“
How did your songwriting approach evolve compared to your earlier releases? Did the mood of the album influence your compositional choices?
“Since we´ve reached two darker chapters of the story, the music, lyrics and the production needed to reflect that, while keeping our DNA intact. This was a challenge, but I think we succeeded in the end.“
The album features thunderous riffs, sweeping soundscapes, and lush melodies. Can you describe the process of blending these elements while maintaining your Cinematic identity?
“It´s all about trusting your instinct and respecting your art. We went down a few new roads on this one though. That involved trying out different piano sounds, experementing with strings and other soundscape elements such as loops and pads and effects. But we never went overboard. Once we found the right feel for each track, the search was over and we settled on what you hear on the album. Lyrically we tried to pack as much as we could emotionally since the story deserves it.“
Was there a specific track that you felt defined the album’s direction? What makes it central to the record?
“All of the 12 songs are needed for the story to be told, so they all have a roll to play. Almost like building a house. If you remove one brick, the foundation will collapse.“
With songs like “Throne Of Gold Part III – The Hidden Portal,” how do you balance narrative ambition with musical coherence?
“On that specific song the lyrics were written before the song itself, so each individual part needed to match the story telling and mood of the events leading up to what happens in that track.“
Drums were tracked with Jakob Herrmann at Top Floor Studios. How did his experience influence the recording process?
“I think it helped me push myself harder than before. Jakob is a magician and he had me work on the drums. We left no stone unturned and I think we achieved somethign great that really matches with the music and the mood we were looking for.“
Vocals and other instruments were recorded in different locations across Sweden. Did this dispersed recording process present any challenges or inspire new ideas?
“We recorded everything except drums and lead vocals in my own studio in Örebro, Sweden. I had creative control and we didn´t use any outside help whatsoever when it comes to editing or anything like that. Stefan is used to recording himself, so him and me worked together via remote to get the vocals where we wanted them. I think we have a pretty good
understanding of our workflow, but in the future, there´s always room for improvements.“
Jacob Hansen handled mixing and mastering—what was it like working with him to achieve the final sonic impact?
“Unbelievable. We worked together on the previous record, so to work together again was a “no-brainer”. He understands our vision, which makes him almost like a fifth band member. We couldn´t ask for anyone better to work with. Those ears and years of experience mixing the best acts out there is something we´ve always dreamed of getting close to, and now we
will nurture that relationship and we are really proud of what he has acomplished. Mind bending to say the least.“
Can you share a brief history of SARAYASIGN for those unfamiliar with your journey? How has the band evolved since the beginning?
“We started out finnishing a record we never finnished back in 1994, became a real band hiring a new guitarist, leaving us as a four man band, created our sophomore album in 2023 and now in 2025 we are unleashing this particular beast to the world. We try our best to blend oldschool melodic hard rock from the 70´s with modern melodic metal and I think that blend is something we will keep on exploring for the next albums to come.“
How do your personal influences shape the cinematic and emotional aspects of your music? Are there specific artists, composers, or films that have inspired this new chapter?
“To be honest, I think everything we as humans experience in life inspires us. I´ve been through a lot in my life and I look at my craft as therapy and I deal with all that while writing.“
How does the new material translate into a live setting? Can fans expect any surprises or reinterpretations of the album tracks during performances?
“We try to make it as true to the album as we can while remaining a real live band. Too many artists in the business use too much backing tracks, reactive auto-tune live, and don´t really play all their instruments live. We´re not one of those bands, We take our craft very serious. We do use some backing tracks, like loops and pads to make the sound a bit thicker, but the rest is all us.“
Touring and performing often influence the songwriting process. Has live experience impacted your approach to this album?
“We´re just getting started with our live performances, so I´m sure in time, it will impact how we approach the next one.“
SARAYASIGN is known for its Cinematic storytelling. How do you approach the narrative element when writing music? Are lyrics always the starting point, or does instrumentation come first?
“It varies. A lot of times I start out on the piano. Other times Peter or any of the other guys plays something that triggers something inside of me, and when that happens, anything is possible.“
How do you balance atmosphere, melody, and heaviness to create the immersive soundscapes your fans expect?
“Since we respect the fans listening and have a huge respect for our craft, we tread carefully trying to progress as we push forward while keeping within the boundaries of what they expect from us. This is by far not an easy thing, but we try our hardest to have all the ingrediences in there without it beeing over the top. Sometimes you need to let it breathe and finding the right moment where it should´t. It´s not an easy thing, and not something you can force. You just have to feel. And if the feeling is there , you need to trust that feeling.“
Are there recurring motifs or visual inspirations you drew upon while crafting “Shadows Of The Dying Light”?
“Yes. As the creator of the story I´m always there exploring within my own mind. And as the story progresses, and events unfold within the story, what I´m writing in that very moment reflects what I´m seeing and feeling for that very specific part.“
Looking back at your previous albums, what have you learned that helped shape this release? Where should I start?
“I´ve learned so much over the last four years. Both technically in the studio and as a songwriter and lyricist. I´ve become more comfident in my writing, mor sure of how to get things done so to say. And there´s always room for improvements, but I guess it´s all about those 10.000 plus hours doing something you love. I hope I never stop learning new things as long as we´re doing this.“
Finally, what can fans expect next from SARAYASIGN after this album—both musically and visually?
“Fans can expect a fourth album that will conclude the first story in our universe, and after that I can´t give away too much just yet, but there will be more albums after that teeling more of the secrets hidden in the land of Saraya.“
With “Shadows Of The Dying Light,” SARAYASIGN reaffirms their position as one of Sweden’s most compelling Cinematic Rock acts. Darker, heavier, and more evocative than ever, the album promises an immersive journey for fans of atmospheric and narrative-driven Rock. Progressive Rock Journal is honored to present this exclusive insight into the band’s creative universe—an essential preview for those eagerly awaiting the release — set to arrive on October 31, 2025 via Black Lodge Records.
Pre-Order “Shadows Of The Dying Light” on Bandcamp: https://sarayasign.bandcamp.com/album/shadows-of-the-dying-light