A pre-order for Chasing Shadows, the new album from Finland's ANCARA, is now available at this location.

A recent update from the band reads: "Release of Ancara's third album, Chasing Shadows, was postponed by two months, because the band decided to release the album independently thru their own Dks Music label and give the Finnish distribution in to Bonnier Amigo Music's hands. Co-operation with Timo Kotipelto (STRATOVARIUS, KOTIPELTO) still continues, with his contacts Europe has shown some interest towards Ancara, and the band starts their European tour in October.

Chasing Shadows is released on October 21st via High & Loud Records in Finland and in a later date in other parts of Europe. The makers are satisfied with the album and Juha Wahlstén, the composer-guitarist, tells about the album.

"First of all it was wonderful to make an album with a really professional producer, because you personally just tangle on the small irrelevant things and you only see your own material in a very narrow way. Our producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (H.I. M, LORDI, THE 69 EYES, APOCALYPTICA, SENTENCED, SEPTULTURA) saw our in more neutral and open minded way. The recording process started with quite a lot of pressure on me before Gary joined the band, because the composing responsibility was completely on my shoulders, and I had to make new songs in a few weeks. But I had doodled unused material and from those bits and pieces we made five new songs and Gary added his finishing touch in to the songs. When looking in to the future we have more resources for future records, becaus Gary is known as a splendid songmaker and arranger."
"The soundscape and material is a mixture of metal and poprock. I'm sure that the metalheads and old fans might feel a bit alienated at first, but hopefully also the "non metalheads" might like more of our material now", says Juha.

Producers dream job...

"I am very satisfied with the result, because there was no rush in any point, so the songs and ideas were thought through. Usually the best things remained and the bad ones were dropped out with time almost naturally. In addition to that none of the band members had no ego-problems, but all were equal. This is not usually self-evident when it comes to music. The need for showboating was absent", tells the producer Hiili Hiilesmaa about the recording session. "I believe that Ancara goes far with this album, because their own tone has became more crystal clear and the whole band seems very motivated."
"Album is melodic metal made in 1980's spirit but still being modern. I avoided on purpose going too much to the 80's with the sound. Songs still stand out and the genres are somewhere there, who needs them? What separates Ancara from the masses is that it doesn't flirt with dark subjects like most of the modern metal bands, and that is what makes it so fascinating. Also the guys make their kind of music and I believe that one of the bands strenghts is wide target audience."

Hiilesmaa also hopes their co-operation to continue. "I hope that we won't have as long break as last time, because I worked with the band last time already in 1986. As a full service engineer I picked up the whole band with my VW Beatle to my home studio, I just got my drivers license back then."

Ancara recently issued a teaser for their new video, for the track 'Tears With A Smile'. Check it out below.

'Tears With A Smile' is lifted from Chasing Shadows

Ancara recently updated their tour schedule. It now includes several dates in Switzerland, the Czech Republic and an acoustic gig on September 26th at Hemingway's in Kerava, Finland.

The band's schedule is now as follows:

September

26 - Hemingways - Kerava, Finland (acoustic)

October

22 - On The Rocks - Helsinki, Finland
24 - House of Rock - Kouvola, Finland

November

13 - Rokkikellari - Seinäjoki, Finland (acoustic)
20 - Rock City - Zurich, Switzerland
21 - Rustico Music Pub - Frutigen, Switzaerland
22 - Break Out Bar - Kandergrund, Switzerland
24 - Klub Exit - Prague, Czech Republic
25 - Rock Club Brooklyn - Brno, Czech Republic
27 - Strojovna - Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
28 - Runway B52 - Plzen, Czech Republic
29 - Randal - Bratislava, Slovakia