An intriguing concept album built of complementary song pairs working from the outside in, Strangers - set to be released on October 30 by M-Theory Audio - is the newest effort from Israeli progressive/symphonic metal band, Scardust. With one pair of songs already unveiled to the general public via the music videos for “Tantibus II” and “Addicted”, the band has now revealed the first chapter of another two-part saga with their new music video for the track “Stranger”, which can be viewed below. A video for its companion track will be released next week.

Says vocalist Noa Gruman, “When someone close to your heart is leaving you and you’re breaking down and feeling that you’re left to face the world on your own, the shared memories and moments that you had become 'Stranger.' Being neglected is a fragile and exposed feeling, so in this one song we chose to lose the choir and strings and strip things down to the core musicians. In the video, they are playing the song, but never together, in an obscure, unrealistic location. They are surrounded by concrete pillars and the scene is continuously spinning, leaving the viewer feeling dizzy and uncomfortable. Lyrics pop out here and there to highlight specific parts, and there are also hints of water by the musicians' feet and paint cans lying on the ground. One may wonder why, and it will all be revealed in the other side of the story, told from the side of the neglector.”

Mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Devin Townsend, Arch Enemy), Strangers”was written and composed jointly by singer Noa Gruman and composer Orr Didi, who also collaborated with Gruman on Scardust's full-length debut, Sands Of Time, and their 2015 EP Shadow.”The album features guest appearances from German folk musician Patty Gurdy, as well as vocals by the Hellscore choir and England’s prestigious Westbrook Hay Prep School Chamber Choir.

Pre-orders for CD and limited-edition gray smoke vinyl editions of Strangers are now live, here.

Scardust recently launched the “Mist Cover Challenge,” an invitation for fans to play or sing along with the final minute of the new song “Mist,” the closing track of Strangers, with the chance of winning a deluxe package of signed CD and vinyl copies of Strangers, a new Scardust t-shirt design and guitar picks. To enter the challenge, follow the instructions at this location and upload your video anywhere on social media, tagging the band and including the hashtag #scardustmist. Entries close on October 25, and winners will be announced by the band during a special livestream on November 1 that will also feature a live performance and a Q&A with special guest Patty Gurdy.

Tracklisting:

"Overture For The Estranged"
"Break The Ice"
"Tantibus II"
"Stranger"
"Concrete Cages" (feat. Patty Gurdy)
"Over"
"Under"
"Huts"
"Gone"
"Addicted"
"Mist"

"Addicted" video:

"Tantibus II":

Teaser:

Band lineup:

Noa Gruman - Vocals
Yanai Avnet - Bass
Yadin Moyal - Guitar
Itai Portugali - Keyboards
Yoav Weinberg - Drums