CONCRETE AGE to release "MOTHERLAND"

I walk beneath the mountains, beside the tumbling streams of crystal water, over sand and stone and through the ages. I pass the ruins of fortresses and watchtowers that have guarded these passes from time immemorial, silently watching through the ever turning seasons. My measured steps upon the path kick up clouds of dust that rise like ghosts from the pages of history. Above me the golden eagles ride the air currents, screaming out their kingship, their dominance over this wild and beautiful kingdom. This is my home, the place that has shaped me; my blood is her blood – my Motherland.

Motherland is the ninth album from Concrete Age; an album like no other by a band like no other. A hymn to their birthplace, every song, every note, every word on this remarkable album is imbued with the spirit of the Caucasus, that incomparable region – birthplace of empires, steeped in blood and wonder – that lies between the Black and Caspian seas. From its very beginning, with the brilliant a cappella chant that ushers in opening track ‘Raida Rada’, Motherland transports the listener, across the miles and through the centuries, to stand below the towering peak of Mount Elbrus, to slip beneath the still waters of Lake Kara Kol, to stride upon the battlements of Narikala fortress and embrace the ancient stone of Geghard Monastery. ‘Battle For The Caucasus’ is powerful, aggressive, extreme metal that explodes in a dazzling display of ethnic colours and flavours and shamanistic magic. The haunting cry of ‘Nomads’ speaks to the soul, to our primal wanderlust and like the proverbial piper leads us far from hearth and home. From the thrilling, thrashing rage of ‘Cossack’s Pride’ to the dancing rhythms of ‘Mestizo’, the exotic melodies, intricate guitar lines and vital, vigorous drums of ‘Shalaho’ to the heart-lifting choruses and shimmering solo of the multi-faceted jewel that is ‘Adeghag’…there is so much to discover on this journey through the Motherland. When you listen to the strange majesty of this inspired collection of songs, you are hearing the sound of a band coming into the full realisation of their powers. With Concrete Age’s last album, the acclaimed Bardo Thodol, it seemed as if that was the ultimate expression of the band’s unique art. Yet with Motherland they have found another path that has led them even higher into the mountains, to lofty places previously unimagined.

Motherland feels vibrant and alive, with every single element of Concrete Age’s multitudinous sonic palette, each voice and instrument singing with a rich and vital clarity. The band have also employed the services of Nargathrond’s Sergey "Lazar" (Panzerfaust, Imperial Age etc) for a specific vinyl master – a further example of the care and attention to detail that can be felt radiating from every aspect of Motherland. When it is unveiled by SoundAge Productions on April 4th this album will captivate and enchant all who hear it. Those already familiar with the music of Concrete Age will be spellbound and thrilled by what the band have achieved. And those who are new to their magic will have their ears opened to a world of imagination, passion and creativity that stretches far beyond the accepted horizons of metal.