NOCTURNAL RITES will release their sixth studio album, New World Messiah, on March 24th through Century Media.

The album was produced in the band’s hometown of Umea, Sweden, and was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studio in Helsinki, Finland with T.T. Oksala (TIAMAT, APOCALYPTICA) and one of the finest female mastering engineers Minerva Pappi.

New World Messiah features cover artwork from Russian fantasy artist Leo Hao, already renowned for his work with BLIND GUARDIAN (The Bard's Song), ICED EARTH (The Glorious Burden, The Reckoning) and PRIMAL FEAR (Devil's Ground), as well as for the last Nocturnal Rites album, Shadowland, in 2002.

The tracklisting for New World Messiah includes: ‘New World Messiah’, ‘Against The World’, ‘Avalon’, ‘Awakening’, ‘Egyptica’, ‘Break Away’, ‘End Of Days’, ‘The Flame Will Never Die’, ‘One Nation’ and ‘Nightmare’.

Following the release of New World Messiah, the band will head out on April 2nd for a massive European tour with EDGUY and BRAINSTORM. Label mates TAD MOROSE will replace Brainstorm for the last five shows in Scandinavia.

Confirmed tour dates include:

April

2 - KD Serikova - Plzen, Czech Republic
3 - Golem Club - Zlin, Czech Republic
4 - PKO - Nitra, Slovakia
6 - Venue TBA - Budapest, Hungary
7 - Planet Music - Vienna, Austria
8 - Alcatrez - Milan, Italy
10 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
11 - La Laiterie - Strasbourg, France
12 - Transbordeur - Lyon, France
14 - Aqualung - Madrid, Spain
16 - Republica - Valencia, Spain
17 - Razzmatazz - Barcelona, Spain
18 - Jam - Bergara, Spain
20 - Theatre Barbey - Bordeaux, France
21 - Elysee Montmartre - Paris, France
23 - Eisenbahnhalle - Losheim, Germany
24 - Zeppelinhalle - Kaufbeuren, Germany
25 - Stadthalle - Lichtenfels, Germany
27 - Longhorn - Stuttgart, Germany
28 - Turbinenhalle - T-Club - Oberhausen, Germany
30 - Stadthalle - Langen, Germany

May

1 - Venue TBA - Vosselaar, Belgium
2 - Live Music Hall - Koln, Germany
4 - Halle Gartlage - Osnabrück, Germany
5 - Dock's - Hamburg, Germany
6 - Karen - Göteborg, Sweden (Tad Morose replace Brainstorm)
8 - Arenan - Stockholm, Sweden (Tad Morose replace Brainstorm)
9 - Umea Arena - Umea, Sweden (Tad Morose replace Brainstorm)
11 - Pakkahuone - Tampere, Finland (Tad Morose replace Brainstorm)
12 - Nosturi - Helsinki, Finland (Tad Morose replace Brainstorm)