The follow up to ‘Serpent & Spirit’ takes a thematic turn into traumatic terrain as frontman Joe Nally navigates real life loss in song.
London-based trio Urne have announced their highly anticipated sophomore effort, A Feast On Sorrow, due out August 11th via Candlelight Records. A Feast On Sorrow promises to be both an engaging album musically and a exceptionally difficult album thematically; facing the destructive realities of aging, dementia and disease.
“There were a lot of dark times,” sighs frontman Joe Nally. “Losing people is a horrible thing; when the reality hits, it shocks. I was full of pent-up emotion – anger, confusion – and I could only seem to release that through aggression. This is much darker. There were quite a few ‘fun’ elements to our first LP ‘Serpent & Spirit’. There aren’t many of those here.”
“The personal story I’m telling in this album is still ongoing, but it feels like I’ve been able to say what I needed to say,” Nally concludes. “It was an incredibly cathartic experience to be able to write this album, to scream it, to hear it back. I’ve got my emotions out. I’ve got my meaning out. I’ve got my message out. What I needed to do is done.”
Today, the band has also shared the first single “Becoming The Ocean.” Accompanied by a poignant video, the track is as dizzying as it is heartbreaking.
“’Becoming The Ocean’ has ties to a move within my life that was supposed to bring my family joy and a new life,” frontman Joe Nally shares. “Sadly, it hasn’t been as smooth as we all hoped. I walk by the ocean every day and something with such beauty and grace, also holds such power and an ability to crush and destroy.
The video was shot in Pembrokeshire, Wales. This beach is known for a rock formation called Church Rock which works perfectly with the lyrical content of this song.”
In an unexpected turn of events, Urne was approached by Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier offering to record A Feast On Sorrow at his Silver Cord Studio in Brooklyn, New York. Having been a fan of the band’s debut album, Serpent & Spirit, Duplantier’s touch helped to refine the visceral album.
“We had many ups and downs throughout this process, but the end result is something the three of us are extremely proud of,” Nally elaborates. “Having the honour to travel to New York to work alongside Joe Duplantier and Johann Meyer on this record is something we didn’t think would be possible and, on top of that, to have Ted Jensen master this record, has been an experience we once dreamed of.”
“This whole album is extremely personal for me. It’s made me grow as a person and has also helped me understand the grieving process better than before. This isn’t a joyful or uplifting record, it’s very raw and real, and when the opportunity to work with Joe came to be, we all knew he was the perfect person to capture the message of this record.”
Fans across Europe will be able to see Urne at a series of festivals, promising to debut new music at Incineration Festival in Camden, London, on May 13th, where they will open the stage at the Electric Ballroom. They will also take over the main stage at this year’s Bloodstock. This June the band will also join Gojira for a series of dates.
Urne Tour dates:
13/05: Electric Ballroom, Incineration Festival, London, England
06/06: Afas Live, Amdsterdam, Netherlands*
12/06: Barba Negra, Budapest, Hungary*
13/06: Mala Sportovni Hala, CZ*
18/06: Arena Open Air, Vienna, Austria*
19/06: Alcatraz, Milan, Italy*
20/06: Arena, Geneva, Switzerland*
24/06: Basinfire Festival, Spalene Porici, Czech Republic
27/06: Tallin Noblessner Foundry, Estonia*
04/08: Metal Days, Velenje, Slovenia
05/08: Vagos Metal Festival, Quinta Do Ega, Portugal
12/08: Bloodstock Festival, Catton Park, Derbyshire, England
A Feast On Sorrow is due out August 11th via Candlelight Records. Pre-orders are available HERE.
Tracklist:
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