Finnish epic doom metal supergroup The Solitude announce debut album »The Sound Of Absent Life« and premiere first single & music video!
Finnish epic doom metal supergroup The Solitude premiere a music video for the first single »Ruins Of The Fallen Stars« taken from their upcoming debut album, »The Sound Of Absent Life«, scheduled for release on April 3rd, 2026 via Reaper Entertainment.
»Ruins Of The Fallen Stars« is available now on all major streaming platforms!
Tracklist:
01. Ruins Of The Fallen Stars
02. Deny The Sun
03. Gateway To Hell
04. Beneath The Fallen Leaves
05. Cry For The Dark One
06. Requiem
07. Evil Needs Release
08. He Who Prevails
09. Bride Of Misery
10. The Sound Of Absent Life
Courtesy of Reaper Entertainment:
A new chapter of epic doom metal begins today.
The Solitude unveil their haunting first single »Ruins Of The Fallen Stars«, accompanied by an official music video and the launch of pre-orders for their long-awaited debut album »The Sound Of Absent Life«. The album will be released on April 3rd, 2026 via Reaper Entertainment.
The band comments: “This is in so many ways the song that started the magic. Not only is it the first single, it’s the first song on the album and the first song we recorded on the first take at Finnvox and the first song we ever wrote as a band. »Ruins Of The Fallen Stars« carries a very special meaning for all of us.”
More than 30 years after the first sparks of the project were born, The Solitude return with a record that embodies the pure essence of epic doom – slow, heavy, emotionally vast, and deliberately human. Originally formed by Janne Parviainen (Ensiferum) and resurrected by Mika “Gas Lipstick” Karppinen (ex-HIM), the band channels the grandeur of Candlemass and the spirit of ’80s doom while forging something unmistakably their own.
Recorded live to analog tape at Finnvox Studios in just ten hours, »The Sound Of Absent Life« rejects digital perfection in favor of authenticity: real musicians, real performances, real emotion. Produced by the band, mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, Amorphis) and mastered by Mika Jussila (Motörhead, Nightwish), the album captures a raw, organic sound rarely heard in modern metal.
Lyrically, the record explores the shadows between grief, faith, loss, and cosmic emptiness – personal stories wrapped in the mythic language of doom. Musically, it offers monumental riffs, vast arrangements, and a melancholy that stretches into the void.
With extensive touring planned for 2026 and more announcements on the horizon, this release marks the true beginning for The Solitude – a band committed to real artistry in an age of artificial perfection.
Pre-order »The Sound Of Absent Life« HERE.
More about the band:
Some bands are born from a spark. Others rise from the ashes of silence. The Solitude belongs to the latter.
Originally formed more than 30 years ago from Janne Parviainen (Ensiferum), the band began by playing Candlemass covers – worshipping at the altar of epic doom. What started as homage soon became creation, as Aleksi began writing songs that carried the same dramatic weight and timeless melancholy as their heroes. When Gas Lipstick (ex-HIM, Kyyria) first heard these new compositions, he knew the time had come to resurrect The Solitude – not as a nostalgic act, but as a living, breathing force of modern doom metal.
“The original Candlemass spirit is still there,” says Gas, “but this time we brought our own darkness with us.”
The result is »The Sound Of Absent Life«, a monumental debut album set for release in Spring 2026 via Reaper Entertainment.
Recorded live to analog tape at Finnvox Studios in just ten hours, the record captures the pure essence of the band – raw, organic, and entirely unfiltered. Produced the band itself, mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, Amorphis) and mastered by Mika Jussila (Motörhead, Stratovarius, Nightwish), the album rejects digital perfection in favor of human performance and soul. “We wanted to do things like they did in the ’80s,” Gas explains. “No computers, no ProTools – just musicians playing real music, together in a room.”
Musically, »The Sound Of Absent Life« channels the grandeur of Candlemass and Black Sabbath, but filters it through a distinctly personal lens. The band describes its sound as “Epic Doom Metal played and sung by actual musicians.” The songs are heavy and melodic, spacious yet intimate – filled with that vast, cosmic melancholy that defines the genre. “The endless time between the notes, and the realization that no matter how bright the stars shine, the emptiness of the universe prevails,” they say.
Lyrically, the album delves into the shadows of existence – grief, faith, loss, and acceptance. Each track is deeply personal, but cloaked in the mythic and ritualistic language of doom. “All of the lyrics are so personal that talking about them directly would be uncomfortable,” Aleksi explains. “But the imagery of doom metal gives us the distance we need – and allows listeners to find their own truth inside the songs.”
While Aleksi and Gas are the primary songwriters, the entire band contributes to the arrangements, ensuring that every part breathes and moves as one. “It was important for us to be a real band, not just four guys messing around,” says Gas. The lineup – rounded out by seasoned musicians from acts like HIM, Ensiferum, Kyyria, and Soulcage – shares a mutual passion for doom metal and authenticity.
That commitment is equally evident on stage. Having already played their debut show, The Solitude quickly earned praise for their intensity and sincerity. “We don’t bullshit our audiences,” Gas insists. “What you hear live is what we really play – and the reaction was overwhelming. We even saw grown men crying in the audience.”
As for the future, the band plans to tour extensively in support of »The Sound Of Absent Life«, with more albums already written. “We’ve always admired bands that build long careers,” they say. “We want to do the same – this is just the beginning.”
For Gas, who returns to his first instrument – the guitar – after decades behind the drums, the project is more than just another band: it’s a homecoming. “I started as a guitarist, and I love doom metal. To play these songs with this band feels right in every way.”
The Solitude stands for what so much modern music has lost – honesty, emotion, and human imperfection. Slow, heavy, and hauntingly real. Or, as the band likes to put it: Epic. Fucking. Doom.
Line-up:
Aleksi Parviainen (Soulcage, Northern Kings) – Vocals
Janne Parviainen (Ensiferum) – Drums
Ville Pelkonen (Jimsonweed) – Bass
Mika “Gas Lipstick” Karppinen (ex-HIM, Kyyria) – Guitar
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well