Chicago modern metal act TRIALS will release their sophomore album, In The Shadows Of Swords, on May 1st. In anticipation of the new album, the band has uploaded a new song ‘Believers In Black’.

Check out the song below:

A press release describes the album: “Coming off the heels of their 2011 debut, Witness To The Downfall, In The Shadow Of Swords sees the band take their blend of forward-thinking metal and muscular, technical thrash to the next level. Don't mistake those words for the typical promotional hyperbole either. Trials has truly upped the ante where aggression, songwriting and sheer metallic power are concerned.”

In The Shadow Of Swords is the first Trials recording to feature guitarist Ryan Bruchert (ex-HEWHOCORRUPTS), who joined the band last year. The album will be offered in digital and CD formats. The digital version includes a ripping cover of JUDAS PRIEST's ‘Jawbreaker’ as a bonus track, while the CD release will feature an additional Trials song, ‘Spirit Leaves’ as a bonus. Recording took place at Wall 2 Wall Studios in Chicago and at Trials’ home studio with mixing and mastering courtesy of Lasse Lammert at LSD Studios in Lübeck, Germany. The album's artwork was done by Chris Angelucci with Mark Sugar & Usha Rajbhandari.

In The Shadow Of Swords tracklisting:

‘Conjoined’

‘Believers In Black’

‘Blueprints Of Metaphor’

‘In The Misery Machine’

‘With Only Sorrow Now’

‘All The Promises’

‘Upon This Day’

‘Ancestor’

‘Embracing Nothing’

‘Jawbreaker’ (Judas Priest cover, digital release only)

‘Spirit Leaves’ (CD release only)

Check out an album trailer below:

Trials is:

Mark Sugar (guitar/vocals)

Ryan Bruchert (guitar)

Usha Rajbhandari (bass)

Adam Kopecky (drums)

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