Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK-based band, Skyclad, announce the release of their upcoming 13th studio album, Forward Into The Past. The album marks the return of guitarist Dave Pugh to Skyclad’s lineup as a permanent member.

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 April 28th via Listenable Records.

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)