Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK-based band, Skyclad, will release their 13th studio album, Forward Into The Past, on April 28th via Listenable Records. A lyric video for the album track, “Change Is Coming”, is available for streaming below.

“Change Is Coming” displays a series of actual images depicting the state of the world according to the band. It is shown as a TV breaking news to enhance the reality factor. The video was edited and directed by Fernando J. Martinez.

Kevin Ridley comments on the video: "When we first started discussing doing videos for the new Skyclad album with director/editor Fernando J. Martínez, we decided that didn't want to do 'typical' band videos and for “Change Is Coming” we wanted to do our own take on a 'lyric video’. The images help to show the extent of the problems humanity has created and our seeming inability to make much progress in tackling them and, indeed, some people's disregard for the consequences."

Since their inception, Skyclad have created songs out of a highly original and influential sound mixing heavy metal and traditional folk. Their lyrics have been generally permeated by political, social and environmental matters and the new album seems to be no exception as vocalist Kevin Ridley comments: "The songs are about politics, the environment and the music business and so on. These are mixed with the standard Skyclad fayre of traditional bawdy/drinking type of songs and songs with blues and more 'ethnic' feels."

Forward Into The Past artwork by Duncan Storr (who previously drew paintings for Edge Of Sanity, Rage and Hawking) displays the mesmerizing face of a man made out of trees and branches, as Kevin Ridley elaborates: “The 'green man' or 'storyteller' image used here is a traditional image (from Roman times at least in the UK) which is usually taken as 'showing the close interdependence between man and nature’.”

That natural feel is also largely expressed in the album production: "I think the new album sounds, warm, natural and 'real' (i.e. not processed or overproduced).”

Skyclad celebrates their grand return with Forward Into The Past on .

Tracklisting:

“A Storytellers’ Moon” (intro)
“State Of The Union Now”
“Change Is Coming”
“Starstruck?”
“A Heavy Price To Pay”
“Words Fail Me”
“Forward Into The Past”
“Unresolved” (instrumental)
“The Queen Of The Moors”
“Last Summer’s Rain”
“The Measure”
“Borderline”
“A Storytellers’ Moon” (Outro)

Live dates:

March
24 - Hafan Y Môr, UK - Hammerfest

April
17 - Thessaloniki, Greece - 8Ball Club
18 - Ksanthi, Greece - Nostos Live
19 - Kastoria, Greece - Prague Live Stage
20 - Larissa, Greece - Larissa Sports Center
21 - Agrinio, Greece - Metal Union Club
22 - Athens, Greece - Kyttaro Live Club

June
3 - Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Rock Hard Open Air

July
1 - Brande-Hörnerkirchen, Germany - Hörnerfest

September
23 - Zaragoza, Spain - Iberian Warriors Metal Fest

(Photo - Skyclad Facebook)