Swiss goth metal veterans LACRIMOSA will release their 20th anniversary release, Schattenspiel, tomorrow (May 7th).

The band have issued the following message:

"One might ask himself, why don't Lacrimosa simply release a best of compilation?

Very easy: a best of compilation is for people who don't really know a band and with such a compilation of hits they shall be forced to like this band. But what about those who are listening to a band for many years and who have all their CDs already? What shall they do with a best of?

For the 20th anniversary we didn't want to make a CD for those who didn't care about Lacrimosa in the past, we made a CD for those whom we have to thank for this anniversary: you, our audience!

And since we've been asked by you many times if we could finally release those compositions that we didn't include to regular albums, we now meet your wishes and present 16 unreleased and 2 brandnew tracks on Schattenspiel!

But, some may ask now, what shall we do with left-over songs?

At Lacrimosa there is no class society between the songs, because our aim is not to write hits, our aim is to express feelings and feelings are relative. If we didn't release a song at its time there was always a reason for it. An example: on Schattenspiel (= shadow play) there are compositions which were as important to the developement of Lacrimosa as supporting pillars in the house of our art and we couldn't just pull them out of this building back in those days. In the course of the years we kept on building and those parts of the house are self-supporting nowadays. Today we can tear out those pillars without everything collapsing!

Thus every title on Schattenspiel has its own history and in the booklet of the CD I write about all those stories and explain the relevance for Lacrimosa of each title.

With this in mind we wish you exciting and moving moments with the music that in the past 20 years we have played in the shadow!"

A previous update from the band states: "Right on time for the 20th anniversary of Lacrimosa we have opened our own YouTube channel. We are looking forward to your numerous visits and comments!"

Lacrimosa have scheduled the following fan-release parties in support of Schattenspiel:

May

5 - Hannover, Germany - Dark Star
5 - Zürich, Switzerland - Palais X-Tra
7 - Leipzig, Germany - Darkflower
7 - Schleswig, Germany - Ela Ela
7 - Trier, Germany - Exil
7 - Puebla, Mexico - Funkey Monkey
7 - Mexico City, Mexico - Bar Cria Cuervos
7 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - @lternativ@
8 - São Paulo, Brazil - Galeria do Rock
8 - Koblenz, Germany - Druckluftkammer
8 - Mexico City, Mexico - Dada X
8 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Bar La Mancha
8 - Leipzig, Germany - Café Neulicht
13 - Berlin, Germany - K17
14 - Dresden, Germany - Bärenzwinger
22 - Paris, France - Les Caves du Théâtre du Nesle
22 - Lima, Peru - Club MAO

Schattenspiel will include 17 previously unreleased tracks, including the first demos from 1990 and brand-new songs. The tracklisting is as follows:

'Seele In Not' (Urversion)

'Requiem' (Urversion)

'Seelenübertritt'

'Schuld Und Sühne'

'Dreht Euch'

'Dem Ende Entgegen'

'Schakal' (Urversion)

'Vermächtnis Der Sonne' (Urversion)

'Ein Hauch Von Menschlichkeit' (Late Night Remix)

'Morgen'

'Schönheit Straft Jedes Gefühl'

'Ein Fest Für Die Verlorenen'

'Mantiquor'

'Der Verlust'

'Déjà Vu'

'Sellador' (new song)

'Ohne Dich Ist Alles Nichts' (new song)

Audio samples can be found here.

More on the band at this location.