German metallers ATROCITY are counting down to the release their new cover album, Werk 80 II, due out on February 8th in Europe and March 4th in North America via Napalm Records. Click here to hear a sample of their cover of VISAGE's 'Fade To Grey'.

Frontman Alex Krull comments: "I had a good friend who belonged to the new wave scene for a while. She often visited me at home with her friends. That’s why I knew some songs from the scene, too. This song from Visage advanced to become an absolute cult-song with an extremely high recall value due to its minimalistic approach, the distinctive synthiebass and the French speaking female voice. That’s why we engaged the French artist Jensara Swann for 'Fade To Grey'. I like how the song became an atmospheric grooving juggernaut. 'Fade To Grey' is the legitimate successor of 'Being Boiled' from the first Werk 80 for me.”

Q: Did you like any other bands from the new wave scene?

Alex: "As I already told you, I used to be a big metalhead in these days! But there were some dark and atmospheric songs especially the wave and electro stuff with heavy synthiebasses which I found quite interesting. After all, PINK FLOYD are my great heroes and they more or less influenced many of these synthiebands. I just always missed the heavy guitars, that’s why you get them now! DAF is a great example for this, even if we didn’t interpret them this time, but they really did some extreme songs. That’s why we played 'Der Mussolini' and some other songs on the first Werk 80. One thing which I recognized by doing this new album is for sure: many songs of the eighties were done in great detail and done in an opulent way if you consider the technical possibilities of these days. One should give respect to that either you like them or not. Not for nothing is it claimed that even the Mainstream music of the eighties was done with ambitious arrangements.”

The first online single from Werk 80 II is 'Smalltown Boy' (BRONSKI BEAT), which will be available as of January 11th.

The tracklist for Werk 80 II is as follows: 'People Are People' (DEPECHE MODE), 'Smalltown Boy' (BRONSKI BEAT), 'Relax' (FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD), 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' (SIMPLE MINDS), 'The Sun Always Shines On TV' (A-Ha), 'Hey Little Girl' (ICEHOUSE), 'Fade To Grey' (VISAGE), 'Such A Shame' (TALK TALK), 'Keine Heimat' (IDEAL), 'Here Comes The Rain Again' (EURYTHMICS), 'Forever Young' (ALPHAVILLE), Special Edition bonus track: 'Feels Like Heaven' (FICTION FACTORY).