Powerful melodic Finnish metallers Dyecrest (ft. members Metal de Facto, Thy Row, Everfrost, Kiowan Dynamo) are celebrating the release of their new album Once I Had A Heart out now as of September 29 via Rockshots Records with a new music video for the track "Read My Mind".

"Probably the oldest track on the album. This one was co-written by Kimmo Blom, too. Very straight-to-the-point, striking, and catchy song! Combination of heavy, pulsating verse and the adherent, sing-along chorus. Its story is about a situation where a person realizes/understands that the relationship with someone else has reached the point of no return. Maybe the most defining line of the lyrics: ‘No use in keep on wasting more of our lives…”’” adds the band.

Once I Had A Heart features nine melodic melancholic tracks to follow their 2019 EP The Stage Is Set, and 2018 album Are You Not Entertained?. Seven of the nine songs are brand new songs, two are a bit older but weren’t properly recorded at any point. This new record has some new “twists” in the songs, but still, the trademarks that Dyecrest is known for with their pounding and powerful anthems and strong vocal melodies with big choirs, accompanied by flashing guitar solos.

“The album overall is a tighter package than any previous Dyecrest album, and it lifts the band to a whole new level, for sure! On the album, there are some songs which have been written already some years ago (for example 'Read My Mind' and 'Man Made God') as well as brand new songs, such as the title track 'Once I Had A Heart;, the crushing opener 'Sacred Sleep', the bouncing and heavy 'Oathkeeper' and the majestic and powerful half-ballad 'Fire From Your World', which also ends the album with its heartbreaking atmosphere," adds Niko Takala.

Guitarist Matti Pasanen also adds: "This is the album, which in my opinion is reflecting the sound of Dyecrest in the best way so far. Heavy, yet atmospheric and also a bit progressive musical elements are combined with meaningful lyrics and intriguing melodies!"

"On this album we were able to build up layers, which aren’t 'chewed ready for you,' but which you have to find out by listening to the songs over and over again. And those layers can be found both in compositions as well in lyrics. Once I Had A Heart is truly the album out of which I can honestly say that 'Hey, check this out, THIS IS DYECREST!'"

"This time the Dyecrest-way of songwriting (meaning that we are writing the songs as they were meant purely and just for ourselves) has created the heaviest, catchiest, and also the most beautiful Dyecrest songs so far."

The whole band continues: "We want to dedicate this album in the loving memory of the band’s former singer, friend, and brother forever, Kimmo Blom. Kimmo sadly passed away in the fall of 2022. We feel privileged that there are three songs on the album which we have written with Kimmo, and that we had the chance of having him as one of the backing vocalists on the album. 'One day we’ll meet and rock together again - there, Where the Light Was Born!'"

Tracklisting:

"Sacred Sleep" 
"Man Made God" 
"Once I Had A Heart" 
"Oathkeeper" 
"Face The Light"
"Read My Mind"
"Colder" 
"The Final Act"
"Fire From Your World" 

Orders can be placed at this location.