April 28 will see Elvenking return to fantasy with their epic new album Reader Of The Runes - Rapture via AFM Records. The band's eleventh studio album marks the sequel to their 2019 blockbuster record Reader Of The Runes - Divination.

Elvenking set sail to horizons more distant than ever before, boldly taking the world by storm with their quintessentially unique approach to heavy, powerful music. As guitarist Aydan and vocalist Damna recently revealed, "Part 2 is darker, it needed to be tragic and violent and this gave us the chance to fully breathe the soundscape we already had in mind as we started to write songs in early 2020. We feel that with this album, we have cast a milestone and set a further limit in what we can do by mixing wisely what we deeply love in metal. We are very satisfied with all the shades that compose these eleven songs; altogether they make a canvas we are very proud of."

But give ear, following the previously-released, first album single "Rapture", today, Elvenking premies a haunting lyric video for the epic track, "The Hanging Tree". Watch the clip below, and get the song on all digital platforms here.

Says the band: "The Hanging Tree is a song that sets a violent darker tone as we dive deep into the core of the story narrated in the second part of the “Reader of the Runes” trilogy. If “Rapture” was more epic, slow paced and filled with many different shades and textures, “The Hanging Tree” is a merciless fast cavalcade that goes straight to the point with a heavy fast riffing, melodic yet aggressive vocals, big choirs in the chorus, two insane guitar solos and a folk break in the middle that our dear EK fans will definitely love. It will surely be a highlight in our forthcoming live shows."

Ever since their inception in 1997, Elvenking mastered their way to their own identity with courage and bravado, leaving behind the shackles of genres step by step before they truly broke out with their 2014 monument The Pagan Manifesto. Elvenking have been defying all genres, now feeling quite at home in their very own enchanted realm. With “Rapture”, the Italian collective delivers part two of their monumental Reader Of The Runes trilogy, and an epic metal quest of woe and despair, wrought with mysterious figures, dark magic and an altogether mesmerizing autumnal flair reminiscent of a forest glade during an Indian Summer. It’s more than just a metal album. It’s a moving story set to fabulous songs, bridging the gap between fantasy and reality. Many times before, Elvenking have weaved powerful magic into the world. This time, they truly came into their own, wresting their best effort yet from a global pandemic.

Reader Of The Runes - Rapture was written between 2020 and 2022, and was recorded between May and October 2022 by the band and renowned producer Scott Atkins (Cradle of Filth, Behemoth) who also took over mixing and mastering duties.

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklist:

"Rapture"
"The Hanging Tree"
"Bride of Night"
"Herdchant
"The Cursed Cavalier
"To the North"
"Covenant
"Red Mist"
"Incantations"
"An Autumn Reverie"
"The Repentant"

"Rapture" video:

(Photo - Cunene)