Release:
Invictus Productions (European CD Version)
6. Apr. 2018
Info:
Each song a hymn, each riff full of pure passion: England’s Epic/Doom Metal masters SOLSTICE ensure magic moments! Finally, the full-length successor to “New Dark Age” (1998) is here: "White Horse Hill"! It was recorded at Vibrations Studios, Huddersfield and mixed & produced by Richard Whittaker at FX Studios, London.
Official statement from SOLSTICE:
After issuing two vinyl only mini albums on our own WHITE HORSE label in 2014 and 2016 respectively (“DEATH’S CROWN IS VICTORY”, and a limited promotional version of early demo tracks from this album entitled “TO SOL A THANE”) the resulting impetus has bought us around to completing the musical work that is “WHITE HORSE HILL”.
The album is intended to work musically in conjunction with both the lyrics (rooted firmly in the English oral folk tradition), and artwork (by US artist Chris Smith), both of which we place in equal value as being part of the finished piece. It is worth mentioning also that “WHITE HORSE HILL” was not written for the CD/Download market either, but rather written for that purest and most noble of formats; a 33rpm vinyl LP. This is of course why the albums run time is 46 minutes and no more. We believe that the days of bands releasing 70 minute plus albums for the CD market should be long forgotten, because they represented the notion that quantity should always supplant quality. For us, if an album doesn’t fit onto a single side of a C-90, it’s too long!
Nor was “WHITE HORSE HILL” produced with the intention of being listened to upon PC speakers or cell phones, with a homogenous Disney-metal production. We prefer real raw power from Marshall amp gain, not overpriced boutique distortion pedals and digital effects, and real analogue drums played by a real drummer, not sampled computer programmes. This album is intended to be listened to LOUD, on real speakers.
Musically we continue to draw inspiration (inspiration, not influence, because there is a world of difference!) from the same well of leftfield 80’s Epic & Doom metal as we did in the Mid 90’s when we began to forge our own path. For it was not intended that we should voyage far from our roots, and nor will we ever.
And so, as we continue releasing records we believe in 100%; and that don’t particularly sound like anything else that anyone else is doing stylistically (Though in recent years numerous younger bands have admitted our influence upon their own output, for which we are humbled by the acknowledgement), we would be grateful if you would take the time to listen to “WHITE HORSE HILL”.
Thank you for your patience, and support! We now turn our idle hands to our next record for 2019, “THE PLOUGH & THE FORGE”!
Official album stream: http://solstice-englander.bandcamp.com/album/white-horse-hill-3
Tracklist:
1. III
2. To Sol A Thane
3. Beheld, A Man Of Straw
4. White Horse Hill
5. For All Days, And For None
6. Under Waves Lie Our Dead
7. Gallow Fen
Line-up:
Paul Kearns - Vocals
Rich Walker - Guitars
Andy Whittaker - Guitars
Ian Buxton - Bass
Rick Budby - Drums
Pressing information:
European Vinyl Version - Iron Bonehead Productions
European CD Version - Invictus Productions
European Cassette Version - Invictus Productions
US Vinyl Version - Dark Descent Records
US CD Version - Dark Descent Records
US Cassette Version - Dark Descent Records
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