12/18/2013 00:24

Distant Past

Distant Past: new album 'Utopian Void' out next month

'Utopian Void' is the fourth album from Switzerlnd's Distant Past. It will be released on January 17th, 2014. The preorder phase will start on January 3rd, 2014 in Pure Steel Records' webshop.

The newest incarnation of Distant Past, the mystery-themed heavy rock/metal band was founded by A. Troiano (Emerald), and features former Emerald lead singer/guitarist Jvo Julmy on vocals. The little man with the big voice is the shining star of the new album, gracing atop the varied song material.

Apart from the Megadeth-like 'On the Edge', most songs are in the melodic power metal vein, which suits Jvo so well. 'Kingdom of Shadows' maintains a very Maiden-esque bass and guitar groove; 'The Illusion', 'Helpless' and 'A Day of Darkness' showcase the band in full 80s mode, while 'Breath – The Spell' and 'Faces' show a softer side of the band, but only in parts... The final track 'The Hell of Verdun' is a journey into World War I, it takes the listener through the stages of the most horrendous fights in human history.

Due to popular demand, the first issue of 'Utopian Void' includes 2 bonus tracks, which have previously been available online: 'Touched by the Gods' is a Sabbath-style song, written by A. Troiano in memory of the great Ronnie James Dio; and 'Sings of the End', a very catchy song, that got featured on the 'Heavy Metal Nation' CD sampler, that presents the best Swiss bands every year.

'Utopian Void' shows power and strenght, drama and passion with unusual and memorable songs, a great album by a hard rocking band! We invite you to get into the groove!

Track listing:
1. A Day of Darkness
2. Sceptre
3. On the Edge
4. Faces
5. Kingdom of Shadows
6. Helpless
7. Guided by the Stars
8. Breath – The Spell
9. The Illusion
10. The Hell of Verdun
11. Signs of the End
12. Touched by the Gods
Total playing time: 59:53 minutes

Line-up:
Jvo "JayJay" Julmy - vocals
Adriano Troiano – bass & keyboards
Christof Schafer – guitars
Alain Curty – guitars
Jan "The Onion" Zwiebel – drums

Guests:
Al Spicher - drums
Andy Bächler - drums
Cornelia "Connus" Curty – violin
David "Luti" Luterbacher - guitar solo on 3

(source: Pure Steel Records)