{"title":"Svalbard","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSvalbard is a post-hardcore and black metal band hailing from Bristol, United Kingdom. Formed in 2011, they have been making waves in the music scene with their unique blend of genres. Drawing inspiration from bands like Downfall Of Gaia, CELESTE, and Ithaca, Svalbard's music is characterized by its intense energy and emotional depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith their powerful lyrics and captivating performances, Svalbard has gained a loyal following around the world. Their music delves into themes of personal struggle, societal issues, and the human condition. The band's ability to seamlessly transition between aggressive hardcore punk elements and atmospheric black metal creates a truly immersive listening experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHaving shared stages with renowned acts such as Conjurer, Rolo Tomassi, and Birds in Row, Svalbard continues to push boundaries within their genre. Their dynamic soundscapes combined with thought-provoking lyrics make them a force to be reckoned with in the post-hardcore and black metal scene.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-weight-of-the-mask","title":"The Weight of the Mask","description":"\u003cp\u003eYou'd be forgiven for struggling to summarise the sound of Svalbard in a few words. Since forming in 2011, the band have had their hands in black metal, post-rock, d-beat, shoegaze, hardcore, and post-metal. Whilst their music stubbornly refuses to fit neatly into one genre, one word remains a fitting adjective for the British quartet: unique.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSvalbard spent their early years playing DIY shows, releasing 3 EPs and honing their sound, before eventually dropping their debut album\u003ci\u003e One Day All This Will End\u003c\/i\u003e in 2015. Since then, Svalbard gained the momentum of a runaway freight train, releasing two further albums whilst continuing to refine their vast array of musical influences; drawing from video game soundtracks, grindcore and dream pop all buried within a distorted yet dynamic sound.\n\nBut they're not just heavy in the musical sense of the word. No one articulates the reality of mental illness as succinctly as Svalbard. With 2020's\u003ci\u003e When I Die Will I Get Better\u003c\/i\u003e the band cut so deep both musically and lyrically that it raised the questions: where can Svalbard possibly go from here? How do you follow up an album created at the darkest point of your life?\n\nIf this were a Disney movie, this would be the point where we say that new record \u003ci\u003eThe Weight of the Mask\u003c\/i\u003e is the light piercing through the dark clouds, the hope returning into your heart, the promise of a happy ending… Well. It's not. The depression did not simply go away. It clinged like a limpet, it morphed over lockdown after lockdown, it grew into a beast. But it's a beast that Svalbard no longer fears. If the previous record was about facing your demons, then this album is about fighting them with everything you've got.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten in the band's freezing cold rehearsal room in Bristol - which required two members to drive 120 miles from London every weekend - the album did not come together painlessly. The pressure of the success of their fourth album was daunting and the band's response was to take an extremely meticulous approach to writing new material. \"I've lost count of the amount of times these songs changed,\" joked Serena Cherry (lead guitar\/vocals) \"but in that process of deeply analysing each musical idea we certainly learned how to get the best from each other”.\n\nThe band were keen to work with producer Lewis Johns again, as he truly understands both the heaviness and the beauty in Svalbard's sound. Lewis makes the band feel comfortable enough to draw out their darkest emotions when recording, with Serena admitting she \"cried in the vocal booth when recording the lyrics to all of these songs”.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith a fourth album now under their belts, Svalbard are going from strength to strength - not just as one of the brightest sparks in metal and contemporaries of a burgeoning modern British metal scene, but as advocates for mental health.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nuclear Blast","offers":[{"title":"Clear LP","offer_id":50393134989643,"sku":"2047143","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50393134661963,"sku":"2047142","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/The_Weight_Of_The_Mask_f784acf8_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726413326"},{"product_id":"discography-2012-2014","title":"Discography 2012 - 2014","description":"\u003cp\u003eExisting as a band for approximately 4 years before releasing their debut album, \u003cem\u003eSvalbard\u003c\/em\u003e played the slow and steady game, holding their cards relatively close to their chest. This enabled them to finely hone their craft over a number of 7”s, EPs, and split releases, each time improving slightly on their songwriting and recording methodology, allowing themselves to experiment and push their sound in different directions along the way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis plan of attack enabled the band to consistently improve without the stringent spotlight, or pressure thereof, of an album. It also, rightly, seemed to keep people wanting more...\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Church Road Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50458944602443,"sku":"1149229","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50458945454411,"sku":"1149228","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/8c023fd9-2c42-45a0-9ae0-83df86c0c4bb_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727215478"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_52d0c4bf_thumbnail_4096_451a47fd-cf5e-46a7-ac2a-e4be94dd66da.jpg?v=1726413293","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/svalbard.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}