Lion Music have announced the release for the second album from progressive metallers TWINSPIRITS.

The new album, The Forbidden City, is set for release on September 11th and builds upon the sound heard on the bands 2007 debut, The Music That Will Heal The World (Lion Music).

The Forbidden City takes the progressive metal approach of the debut and adds more musical depth, more memorable songs along with the ever present sublime musicianship featuring some of the genres best musicians. A key feature of the new album is the band’s new Swedish vocalist Göran Nyström, whose stunning range, power and projection has propelled the bands trademark mix of technical progressive metal with strong song structures and melodic elements onto a higher level.

Once again, Twinspirits keyboard genius and musical mastermind Daniele Liverani (GENIUS, KHYMERA, COSMICS) wrote all the music and lyrics, yet its the first class interplay from guitarist Tommy Ermolli, bassist Alberto Rigoni and drummer Dario Ciccioni which bring the music alive. The Twinspirits sound has been energised and tightened by gigs in support of the debut album and this comes through on the new album. In addition, The Forbidden City possesses a darker edge to it than its predecessor, something Göran Nyström’s voice was instrumental in bringing out.

Liverani comments, “After the departure of original vocalist Nico Søren we went through many demos, was the obvious choice to be the new singer of Twinspirits. His raw yet warm voice, sheer versatility and expression in combination with great vocals skills caught the attention of the band from the initial demo we heard. After some rehearsals it was clear this was the voice that could give justice to the bands sound and songs."

The initial writing of The Forbidden City began back in 2005 when Liverani began working on what would become the epic 10 minute opening title track. The rest of the album was then written from 2007 onwards with 'My Future', 'Reaction' and 'Number One' being the last tracks to be penned in the summer of 2007. Recording and production began in 2008 whilst the band was still searching for a new vocalist and was completed in the second quarter of 2009.

The Forbidden City is a concept based on the impact characters with differing natures can inflict on others. The story and all the songs run through a path of liberation of the weak natured character who finally rises to a better consciousness of himself and life and gets free from his oppressor. The path of this process is described in different moments of self-thought considerations that the weak character has about himself and his life status ('Taste The Infinity', 'Hide This Feeling', 'My Future') till the finale reaction to it, and his final liberation on 'I’m Free'. On the other, the oppressive and arrogant character runs through his delirium of power describing his insane nature through the songs 'Number One', 'One Of Us', 'Everything', where he tries to rise himself as the owner of the objective truth and thus trying to become the only choice for the other character life that he’s oppressing. Yet scope is left to let the listeners the chance to paint their own explanations and deductions.

The Forbidden City tracklisting: 'The Forbidden City', 'Taste The Infinity', 'Number One', 'Everything', 'One Of Us', 'BTR', 'Hide This Feeling', 'My Future', 'Reaction', 'I Am Free'.