Frontiers Music Srl present the sophomore release from Sweden's Fans Of The Dark, Suburbia, on September 16. These Swedish upstarts are coming off a well-received debut album, which saw them seamlessly melding melodic rock with their '80s hard rock and metal influences. Suburbia sees them further perfecting that most agreeable formula with stunning results.
Watch a video for the song "Fantasia" below, and pre-order/save Suburbia here.
Suburbia is a sequel of sorts to the band's self-titled debut, following similar themes, both musically and lyrically and even with the theme of the artwork, while seeing the band continuing to evolve. Drummer Freddie Allen's vision for the band is to do as the great hard rock and metal bands of the '70s and '80s did, which was to constantly work on their craft and release new music with regularity. In keeping with that vision, the band set to work on their second album quickly after the release of their self-titled debut. Suburbia follows more or less exactly one year after said debut, which was released in the fall of 2021.
"It is pretty much a sibling to the first album, with similar themes and ideas, only this time going deeper into the world where most of us grew up, and where we first got in touch with hard rock music, horror films on VHS, 80's teen culture, and all else that shaped us - the suburbs," says Freddie Allen, main songwriter and founder of the band, of Suburbia.
For this new album, Allen and vocalist Alex Falk are once again joined by guitarist Oscar Bromvall and new bassist Rickard Gramfors. The album spans eight tracks (another reference back to those glory days of the '70s and '80s), including two epic songs, "The Pirates Of Maine" and "Restless Soul", around the eight minute mark. Fans of the band's debut will be enthralled with the band's second offering. Melodic hard rock fans looking for genre innovation and a break from 'the norm' will certainly be wise to check out this striking breath of fresh air in the scene.
Suburbia was produced and mixed by multi-talented musician and producer Lars Fredrik Swahn (Dungen, The Amazing) and co-produced by Allen.
Fans of the Dark, is an exciting new band formed in the summer of 2020 by Freddie Allen, drummer and main songwriter, and lead vocalist Alex Falk. The pair went to high school together in Stockholm and after a few years reconnected recently with a vision to create a band which would mix the melodies and approach of classic and melodic rock with elements of the great metal music of the '80s. Their musical output over the course of their first two albums is one of the most exciting things you'll hear emerging from the fruitful melodic rock in Sweden, showcasing a tight, inventive musical approach with outstanding vocals.
Suburbia tracklisting:
"Night Of The Living Dead"
"The Pirates Of Maine"
"Fantasia"
"Sick! Sick Sick!"
"Fright Night"
"Fans Of The Dark"
"The Goblin King"
"Restless Soul"
"Fantasia" video:
"Fans Of The Dark":
"Night Of The Living Dead" video:
Lineup:
Alex Falk - vocals
Oscar Bromvall - guitars
Rickard Gramfors - bass
Freddie Allen - drums