Napalm Records has released the teaser for the new album “The Awakening,” due out on March 17, 2023. It was only a few days ago that the video for the first single taken from the album was released. Watch the official video for the single “One More Flag In The Ground” through the YouTube player below:
Kamelot lead singer Tommy Karevik states:
“The main goal of this video and song was to have a metaphor for the struggle against illness or disease, whether physical or mental. Each step toward healing and recovery is another flag planted in the ground. With each small step, one more victory won….“
Kamelot is one of the few bands in the Symphonic genre to fully embrace darkness, but of course there can be no light without it. Inspired and engaging lyrical themes of determination, strength, overcoming personal struggles and growth, brought about by Extreme societal changes and the overwhelming realization that we have such a short time to be true to ourselves and live life to the fullest, abound in “The Awakening.”
With modern, crystal-clear production by the band and longtime producer Sascha Paeth, as well as mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios, Kamelot‘s soundtrack-like 13th studio album is enhanced by contributions from the likes of guest Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum) and renowned instrumentalists such as Grammy-nominated violinist Florian Janoske and Grammy-nominated cellist Tina Guo, who has been featured on a soundtrack.
Kamelot guitarist Thomas Youngblood states:
“With ‘The Awakening’ we made one of our most diverse albums in years. We fused elements of progressive, power and gothic metal with symphonic and melodic metal. Working with incredible guest artists from across the music industry and having producer Sascha Paeth and Jacob Hansen mixing allowed us to take the overall sound a step further. This album offers everything Kamelot fans need and also reaches the new legions of metal and hard rock beyond national borders.”
Stream the teaser through the YouTube player below:
Through Tommy Karevik‘s incomparable vocal acrobatics and the increasingly flawless and renowned teamwork of guitarist Thomas Youngblood, drummer Alex Landenburg, keyboardist Oliver Palotai and bassist Sean Tibbetts, “The Awakening” embraces enlightening themes that every listener can identify with. Kamelot‘s intense brand of ultra-modern Gothic and Symphonic theatricality is amplified further and more emotionally than ever before in this stirring and long-awaited addition to the Kamelot legacy.
Tracks that honor Kamelot trademarks such as the cinematic “The Great Divide” and the eternal, hopeful farewell to a loved one, “Eventide,” demonstrate that while “The Awakening” remains true to the sonic underpinnings fans have loved for decades, equally engaging songs such as “One More Flag in the Ground” – a radio anthem about overcoming a seemingly unbeatable disease and the mental challenges we all face, with added vocal parts by JUNO Award-winning musician and producer Brian Howes – show a band devoid of sonic stagnation. Deep compositions abound, such as the lyrical, stage-ready “Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem),” which features a spine-tingling double solo by guitarist Thomas Youngblood and guest cellist Tina Guo, as well as the synth-laden epic “New Babylon,” enhanced by the dynamic vocal attack of frontman Tommy Karevik and Ad Infinitum‘s Melissa Bonny. To further balance the darkness with the light, “NightSky,” groovy and heartfelt, and “My Pantheon (Forevermore),” an ode to conquering one’s adversity, boast some of the album’s heaviest moments and most complex guitar solos, while pensive anthems such as the Celtic-rooted “Midsummer’s Eve” and “Willow,” an ode to cherished memories, provide the necessary balance to an album that is already poised for the spectacular performances to come.
Tracklist:
- Overture (Intro)
- The Great Divide
- Eventide
- One More Flag in the Ground
- Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)
- Midsummer’s Eve
- Bloodmoon
- NightSky
- The Looking Glass
- New Babylon
- Willow
- My Pantheon (Forevermore)
- Ephemera (Outro)
“The Awakening” will be available in the following formats:
–Digital Album
–CD Digipak
–CD Digipak + Shirt Bundle – Napalm Records exclusive
–2-LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
–2-LP Gatefold Vinyl in Splatter Red + Black – Napalm Records exclusive (European webstore), limited to 500
–2-LP Gatefold in Marbled White + Black – Napalm Records exclusive (North American webstore), limited to 300
–48p Earbook with 7” Vinyl Single – Napalm Records exclusive, limited to 500
–Wooden Boxset with Envelope Opener, Flag, Patch and Band Postcard – Napalm Records exclusive, limited to 1000
–Music Cassette – Napalm Records exclusive, limited to 100
Wooden Boxset with Envelope Opener, Flag, Patch and Band Postcard – Napalm Records exclusive, limited to 1000]
Kamelot Awaken the World Tour Europe – Part 1:
with Myrath, Eleine, League of Distortion
Mar 12, 2023 – Pratteln, CH / Z7
Mar 13, 2023 – Lille, FR / Splendid
Mar 14, 2023 – Paris, FR / Elysee Montmartre
Mar 17, 2023 – Cologne, DE / Essigfabrik
Mar 18, 2023 – Den Bosch, NL / Mainstage
Mar 19, 2023 – Brussels, BE / La Madeleine
Mar 21, 2023 – Hamburg, DE / Gruenspan
Mar 22, 2023 – Roskilde, DK / Gimle
Mar 24, 2023 – Oslo, NO / Sentrum Scene
Mar 25, 2023 – Gothenburg, SE / Trädgårn
Mar 26, 2023 – Stockholm, SE / Berns
Mar 29, 2023 – Helsinki, FI / Vanha Ylioppilastalo
Mar 31, 2023 – Tampere, FI / Pakkahuone
Apr 1, 2023 – Oulu, FI / Tapahtumakeskus Tullisali
Apr 3, 2023 – Tallinn, EE / Helitehas
Apr 4, 2023 – Rīga, LV / Melnā Piektdiena
Apr 6, 2023 – Warsaw, PL / Progresja
Apr 7, 2023 – Prague, CZ / Meet Factory
Apr 8, 2023 – Budapest, HU / Barba Negra
Spring/Summer Festivals:
May 4, 2023 – Karmøygeddon Metal Festival, NO – Headlining
Sep 8, 2023 – ProgPower USA XXII, USA – Headlining
Lineup:
Tommy Karevik / Vocals
Thomas Youngblood / Guitar
Oliver Palotai / Keyboards
Sean Tibbetts / Bass
Alex Landenburg / Drums