Finland’s Dyecrest streaming the title track from upcoming album ‘Once I Had A Hard’

Powerful melodic Finnish metallers Dyecrest (ft. members Metal de Facto, Thy Row, Everfrost, Kiowan Dynamo) are now streaming the second glimpse of their forthcoming album “Once I Had A Heart” due out at the end of September 2023 via Rockshots Records.

The album’s title track, this second song from the full-length tells the story of a person who’s thinking back on his life and reflecting on whether he has made the right decisions or not.

Drummer Niko Takala explains the single in further detail:

This one ended up being the title track of the album, and it was one of the new tracks written on the album. Probably the newest one together with “Oathkeeper”. I remember well the moment we got the song’s chorus together. We were just humming the melody lines together with the guys and had the biggest of smiles on our faces! It’s got to be one of the best choruses we’ve ever written!”

Listen to “Once I Had A Heart” on all digital platforms at https://bfan.link/once-i-had-a-heart-1​

Dyecrest’s new album “Once I Had A Heart” features nine melodic melancholic tracks to follow their 2019 EP “The Stage Is Set” and 2018 album “Are You Not Entertained?”.Seven of the nine songs are brand new songs and two are a bit older but weren’t properly recorded at any point. This new record has some new “twists” in the songs, but still, the trademarks that Dyecrest is known for with their pounding and powerful anthems and strong vocal melodies with big choirs, accompanied by flashing guitar solos.

“The album overall is a tighter package than any previous Dyecrest album, and it lifts the band to a whole new level, for sure! On the album, there are some songs which have been written already some years ago (for example “Read My Mind” and “Man Made God”) as well as brand new songs, such as the title track “Once I Had a Heart”, the crushing opener “Sacred Sleep”, the bouncing and heavy “Oathkeeper” and the majestic and powerful half-ballad “Fire From Your World”, which also ends the album with it’s the heartbreaking atmosphere.” adds Niko Takala.

Guitarist Matti Pasanen also adds:

“This is the album, which in my opinion reflects the sound of Dyecrest in the best way so far. Heavy, yet atmospheric and also a bit progressive musical elements are combined with meaningful lyrics and intriguing melodies!

On this album we were able to build up layers, which aren’t “chewed ready for you”, but which you have to find out by listening to the songs over and over again. Those layers can be found both in compositions as well in lyrics. “Once I Had a Heart” is truly the album out of which I can honestly say “Hey, check this out, THIS IS DYECREST!”

This time the Dyecrest-way of songwriting (meaning that we are writing the songs as they were meant purely and just for ourselves) has created the heaviest, catchiest, and also the most beautiful Dyecrest songs so far.”

The whole band continues:

“We want to dedicate this album in the loving memory of the band’s former singer, friend, and brother forever, Kimmo Blom. Kimmo sadly passed away in the fall of 2022. We feel privileged that there are three songs on the album which we have written with Kimmo, and that we had the chance to have him as one of the backing vocalists on the album. “One day we’ll meet and rock together again – there, Where the Light Was Born!”

“Once I Had A Heart” is due out on September 29, 2023.

Album pre-order – https://bit.ly/DyecrestCD​

Track Listing:​
1. Sacred Sleep – 5:23
2. Man Made God – 4:00
3. Once I Had a Heart – 5:29
4. Oathkeeper – 4:33
5. Face the Light – 5:07
6. Read My Mind – 4:18
7. Colder – 3:39
8. The Final Act – 4:15
9. Fire From Your World – 7:10
Album Length: 43:58