Albert Bell’s Sacro Sanctus return with the fourth full-length album »Sword Of Fierbois«, out now via Metal On Metal Records
Malta’s doom monger Albert Bell (Forsaken, Nomad Son) is back with the fourth full-length album »Sword Of Fierbois« by Albert Bell’s Sacro Sanctus, out on September 30th, 2022 via Metal On Metal Records.
Watch a lyric video for the single »Flight Of The Witch« now! The lyrics focus on Joan of Arc’s capture by the Burgandian and English alliance and subsequent trial led by the Cardinal of Winchester among others. This project is supported by Arts Council Malta.
Tracklist:
01. Sword Of Fierbois
02. War, Metal And Leather
03. Rise Of The Scimitar
04. Hail The Hammer
05. Clarions Of War
06. Imperator
07. For God, King And Country
08. The Maiden From Lorraine
09. Blood At Orléans
10. Flight Of The Witch
11. Ember Eyes
Courtesy of Metal On Metal Records:
Malta’s merciless metal riff machine Albert Bell returns with his fourth solo album under the now well-established helm of Sacro Sanctus. It sees Albert burrowing through the chronicles of the European Middle Ages once more, charting how diverse seminal historical personages secured victory against seemingly insurmountable odds with the assistance of the mythical Sword of Fierbois. Joined again by Steve Lombardo on drums, Albert handles vocals, bass and guitar duties, creating a 66-minute soundscape that sups voraciously from a searing old school metal brew with strong nods to Venom, Motörhead, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Saint Vitus and other old metal heroes.
Moreover, this time Albert is joined by 24 guests including Jeff “Mantas” Dunn (Venom Inc.), Alan Jones (Pagan Altar), John Gallo (Orodruin), Francesco Sozzi (Dark Quarterer), Marcus Jidell (Avatarium, The Doomsday Kindgom, Candlemass) and most of his Forsaken and Nomad Son bandmates to create this unbridled and primal heavy metal album of epic proportions that will force naysayers to crouch, cuddle and whimper in a corner. Meanwhile, old-schoolers – fear not! For the Sword is fast at hand!
Photo by Michael Grech Sammut
With his Templars trilogy now complete, Albert went about the task of forging a new exciting concept for his fourth album. »Sword Of Fierbois« is the fruit of this intense labour, charting circa 700 years of European history, from 732 AD to the 1430s. With his penchant for story-telling very evident once more, Albert explores how the fate of myriad chief protagonists of the Middle Ages, including most notably Charles “The Hammer” Martel, Charlemagne and Joan of Arc, was intimately tied to the possession of the allegedly miraculous and mythical blade – the Sword of Fierbois.
Throughout the process, we meet several other important historical personages, from the Umayyad Caliphate Commander Abdul Rahman, Henry V, the Dauphin of France (Charles VII) and the Cardinal of Winchester, Henry Beaufort. Milestone battlescapes, including the Battle of Tours (732), the Battle of Agincourt (1415) and the Siege of Orleans (1428-9), are also visited and retold in all their ferocious glory.
Recorded during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic late 2021 at Steve Lombardo’s Hell Next Door Studios and mixed by Grammy Award winner Marcus Jidell (Avatarium, The Doomsday Kingdom, Candlemass, etc.), the album features 11 blistering, no-holds-barred and merciless tracks of crushing old school metal. Steve Lombardo retains his position behind the drum stool for this album. Various and much-esteemed guests from both Maltese shores and beyond also join Albert (vocals, bass and guitars) in animating his vision for »Sword Of Fierbois«, including the likes of Mantas (Venom Inc.), Alan Jones (Pagan Altar), John Gallo (Orodruin), and the afore-mentioned Marcus Jidell. The album is mastered by CJ Grimmark from Lighthouse Mastering (Norway). Rejoice metalheads, for the hour of the Sword cometh on September 30th, 2022! Are you old school enough to handle it!?
Order »Sword Of Fierbois« on CD at metalonmetalrecords.com/shop
Buy it as digital download at metalonmetalrecords.bandcamp.com
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well