Guitarist/songwriter Tobias Carlsson has issued an update about KATANA’s new album Storms of War to be released in May on Listenable records.
“It was once again recorded, mixed and mastered at Sonic Train Studios by King Diamond guitarist Andy La Rocque. We were very focused and determined right from the beginning to create a sound that no one had heard on an album since the 80s. To accomplish this, we and Andy listened a lot to albums produced by Martin Birch when mixing and setting the sound. Mostly Rainbow, Heaven and Hell by Black Sabbath, Killers by Iron Maiden and Assault Attack by MSG. It became almost our motto in the studio to ask “How would Martin have done it?” whenever we had doubts about something. The songs are mostly completely new, mixed in with some very old ideas and stuff that weren’t finished in time for the last recording. “
“The band has been around for nearly ten years now, and for the first album we had that long to write the material. This time, most of the songs were written and rehearsed over a period of a couple of months. This has been a challenge, but a positive one that has forced our song writing to its best, and beyond.We have broken new ground with this album and played around with things that we have never done before, thus widening the range of what we are capable of musically. But at the same time, we feel that we have come a long way in defining a unique style and sound for
KATANA. I would say the album is as diverse as the first one musically, yet more uniform.”
” The Japanese influences are there, especially in the epic song about the great Mongolian emperor Kubilai Khan who twice tried to invade Japan, and failed miserably both times. It is a grand story of Japanese history and mythology. But we are not limited by the Japanese influences and there are songs on this album that explore both other mythological subjects as well as themes taken from popular culture and everyday life.”
Tobias confirmed that musically, a fan of early 80s heavy metal will feel at home in this album as much as the previous one, and the influences are still very much early Saxon, early Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Grim Reaper, Manowar and so on. But more than anything, this album represents 100% KATANA. The cover artwork for Storms of War can be seen below.
STORMS OF WAR ARE DRAWING SOON !!
2011 was a busy year for Sweden-based traditional heavy metallers KATANA. Since the release of their debut album “Heads Will Roll” last spring, KATANA not only found time to tour with both the likes of Where Angels Suffer, featuring Chris Holmes and Stet Howland (ex-W.A.S.P.) and American metal legends Lizzy Borden. They also entered the studio to record their second album, entitled Storms of War.
Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, KATANA has been around for several years and has already made a great name for themselves in the underground metal scene of Sweden and Europe. In 2010, the band won the prestigious Wacken Metal Battle which earned them a slot at the Wacken Open Air, as well as the Sweden Rock Festival. Their debut album has been critically acclaimed all over the world, and Malcolm Dome of Classic Rock Magazine wrote: “This quintet will make a significant mark. This debut is only the beginning of what should be a thrilling march”.
With the new album, Storms of War, produced by King Diamond guitarist Andy La Rocque, KATANA means to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that classic heavy metal in the veins of early Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon is here to stay!
KATANA Is…
Patrik Essén – Guitars
Tobias Karlsson – Guitars
Johan Bernspång – Vocals
Susanna Salminen – Bass
Anders Persson – Drums
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www.listenable.net
