WITHERFALL release cover of TOM PETTY's: "I WON'T BACK DOWN"
Today, US dark melodic metal act WITHERFALL is releasing their version of Tom Pettys “I Won’t Back Down”, which is part of the acoustic “Vintage EP” release, out on March 22, 2019.
“During the final writing sessions of “A Prelude to Sorrow”, Joseph Michael and Jake Dreyer stumbled upon doing a darker version of “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty. The song was recorded during the Prelude Sessions at Boogie Tracks Recording studio (featured in the music video) in Jake Dreyer’s hometown of Panama City, Florida. A few weeks after the record was finished Hurricane Michael, a category 5 and largest hurricane to hit the Florida Panhandle in recorded history came and destroyed Panama City, Mexico Beach and Boogie Tracks Studios. Also destroyed was the dock that was home to many wine soaked writing sessions for both Nocturnes and Prelude. The dock can be seen during both “Ode To Despair” and “I Won’t Back Down” solo sections. The Before and After is a haunting reminder that nothing is permanent. We hope this song and video serve as a tribute to the Florida Panhandle and the perseverance of the people living there in rebuilding their communities.” - WITHERFALL.
The “Vintage EP” is available for pre-ordering now with WITHERFALL offering an exclusive green “Verdigris” vinyl limited to 200 copies alongside t-shirt bundles. The transparent-magenta “Vintage Pinot Noir” vinyl, limited to 100 copies, is already sold out from Century Media’s European Store.
Today US dark melodic metal masters WITHERFALL have released “A Prelude to Sorrow”, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017’s “Nocturnes and Requiems”. Listen to the album in its entirety HERE.
Watch an unboxing video of “A Prelude To Sorrow” HERE.
The media reaction to the album has been nothing short of extraordinary:
"A Prelude To Sorrow" provides the listener a cathartic release through some of the most mesmerizing music I have ever heard. The savage brilliance of this album is stunning
-9.5/10 -Metal Wani-
One of the most talented acts in metal; check this out and be impressed
-Angry Metal Guy-
The turmoil of WITHERFALL‘s chaotic, highly technical and dramatic performance is as impressive as ever.
-Distorted Sound Magazine-
-5/5 Metal Hammer.de-
I implore you listen to ‘A Prelude to Sorrow’ so that you too can share in an album that is as moving as it is memorable, as emotional as it is engaging, as intelligent as it is intimate and that is as heavy lyrically as it is musically. In short, it’s a sonic tour-de-force.
- 9.8/10 Man of Much Metal-
A Prelude To Sorrow" is one of the recordings of the year.
-Rock Hard Greece-
‘We are Nothing’ and ‘Vintage’ being the shining stars. Both songs are 11 minute compositions reminding of the best, progressive metal offered till today.
-9/10 Markusheavymusicblog-
WITHERFALL understand how to package perfectly negative emotions in such a way that a large whole emerges. Despite the blows of fate (or maybe just because of that), the band grows beyond itself. Actually, it cannot get better.
- 9/10 Hell-fire magazine-
8.5 / 10 Joseph Michael’s powerful voice belongs to the best of the genre.
-ROCK HARD (Ger) Soundcheck #9-
-AARDSCHOK (NL) Soundcheck #3-
90 / 100 A blasting album where technique and vibe fit perfectly together!
-LORDSOFMETAL.NL-
9 / 10 – WITHERFALL have delivered an impressive follow-up
-BURNYOUREARS.DE-
Magnificent!
-9/10 Rock Tribune (B)-
‘A Prelude To Sorrow’ overwhelmed me upon first listen and has enough interesting details to keep surprising me"
-Gitarist (NL)-
Bolstered by a clear, crisp recording, this album is an essential listen for any heavy/power/progressive metal fan.
-Wonder Box Metal-
On “A Prelude to Sorrow”, main songwriters Joseph Michael (vocals, Sanctuary – live) and Jake Dreyer (Iced Earth) succeeded in perfectly combining the group’s technical proficiency with an appropriate eerie and somber atmosphere, manifesting also in Kristian Wåhlin’s majestic cover painting. “A Prelude to Sorrow” was mixed and mastered by Chris “Zeuss” Harris. (Sanctuary, Queensryche, Iced Earth)
The album is available as a Limited Edition Digipak, jewel case CD (US only), gatefold 2LP plus poster and etching on Side D as well as digital album.
US dark melodic metal masters WITHERFALL will release the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017’s “Nocturnes and Requiems” on November 2nd, 2018. Now, the band is proud to reveal the first song from “A Prelude to Sorrow”.
“Ode to Despair was the first composition that was completed for “A Prelude to Sorrow” so it only seems fitting to start off with this track. Its origin traces back to around 2016 when we were figuring out what to do with Sagan being sick and unable to perform. Fueled by red wine and only a glimmer of the sorrow that was to come "Ode" took only one writing session to complete. The video was shot over the two month span that we were in the studio tracking “A Prelude to Sorrow” and watching the video brings you into the world we inhabited for what seems like an eternity... Special thanks to Don Adams and his masochistic tendencies and keen editor’s eye. Stay tuned for more...”
On “A Prelude to Sorrow”, main songwriters Joseph Michael (vocals, Sanctuary – live) and Jake Dreyer (Iced Earth) succeeded in perfectly combining the group’s technical proficiency with an appropriate eerie and somber atmosphere, manifesting also in Kristian Wåhlin’s majestic cover painting. For mix and mastering, WITHERFALL again worked with Chris “Zeuss” Harris (Sanctuary, Queensryche, Iced Earth) and “Ode to Despair” is just a mere glimpse at the depth and quality, the album holds within.
The “A Prelude To Sorrow” track list can be viewed below:
WITHERFALL – A Prelude To Sorrow
1. A Prelude To Sorrow (1:27)
2. We Are Nothing (11:13)
3. Moment Of Silence (6:55)
4. Communion Of The Wicked (6:40)
5. Maridian’s Visitation (3:1)
6. Shadows (7:08)
7. Ode To Despair (3:49)
8. The Call (2:11)
9. Vintage (11:06)
10. Epilogue (2:47)
The album will be released as Limited Edition Digipak, jewelcase CD (US only), gatefold 2LP plus poster and etching on Side D as well as digital album.
The following limited vinyl colours are available:
While you wait for the First some from Witherfall"A Prelude To Sorrow" to drop check out this Studio update from Joseph Michael and Jake Dreyer featuring a look back on "Nocturnes and Requiems".
US dark melodic metal masters WITHERFALL will release the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017’s “Nocturnes and Requiems” on November 2nd, 2018. The band reveals more details about this stunning new offering:
“A Prelude To Sorrow is a concept record, though not in the sense that most people have come to know the form. Ours is not a story where each song acts as a chapter. The inspiration lays in the supremely dark reality that was the passing of our drummer and one of our best friends Adam Sagan. These songs are raw emotional reflections, composed in the witching hours under the influence of wine and sorrow, while watching and helping our friend fight and ultimately lose his battle with Lymphoma. Nocturnes and Requiems was dedicated to Adam after the fact. A Prelude to Sorrow is written specifically about his and our personal tragedy. Like Nocturnes and Requiems the songs have been arranged to still have the peaks and valleys that any great record should. With “Prelude” these peaks just might be a little steeper and the valleys might be a little deeper, alternating between violence and beauty. The titles initials are an acronym for “Adam Paul Sagan”, He came up with Nocturnes and Requiems so we suppose it is kind of fitting that he also inspired this title. Hope he doesn’t come knocking on our door for royalties. We hope that this will be a fitting requiem for our friend and talented musician.”
Given its tragic background, main songwriters Joseph Michael (vocals, Sanctuary – live) and Jake Dreyer (guitars, Iced Earth) succeeded in perfectly combining the group’s technical proficiency with an appropriate eerie and somber atmosphere, manifesting also in Kristian Wåhlin's majestic cover painting. For mix and mastering, WITHERFALL again worked with Chris Zeuss Harris (Sanctuary, Queensrÿche, Iced Earth).
The “A Prelude To Sorrow” track list can be viewed below:
WITHERFALL – A Prelude To Sorrow 1. A Prelude To Sorrow (1:21) 2. We Are Nothing (11:15) 3. Moment Of Silence (6:50) 4. Communion Of The Wicked (6:35) 5. Maridian’s Visitation (3:30) 6. Shadows (7:03) 7. Ode To Despair (3:51) 8. The Call (3:52) 9. Vintage (11:06) 10. Epilogue (2:53)
The album will be released as Limited Edition Digipak, jewelcase CD (US only), gatefold 2LP plus poster and etching on Side D as well as digital album.
The following limited vinyl colours are available: 400x transparent blue vinyl – only available at www.witherfall.com/merch 200x clear vinyl – only available at Century Media’s European store http://bit.ly/WitherfallCMD
Hey guys, in response to the massive interest in some of the Limited Edition Vinyl and import CD Digipacks in the US our friends over at Century Media have sent us a few so you collectors and fans can get your hands on them without the Massive IMPORT costs.
It is with great pleasure that Witherfall announces the commencement of our debut album. The sheer number of painstaking hours, the obsessiveness and attention to detail that was put into these tracks is to what some might consider borderline insanity. But to us, we were going to go to every level to make sure that the compositions were produced and delivered to the highest standard and measure of quality.
We believe that the songs deserve nothing less. Over the past month, we had the pleasure of working with a world-class mixing and mastering engineer that further helped our vision come to life. Future announcements will provide the details of all individuals involved in the completion of the record. For now, we feel it is time to unveil the official Witherfall logo created by the artist Anthony Clarkson (Devin Townsend, Fear Factory). Subscribe Here for the latest news...
