Swedish multi-instrumentalist Per Wiberg has unveiled his brilliant new track, "The Serpent's Here." It’s the first single taken from his upcoming album of the same name, set for release on February 9, 2024 via Despotz Records.
As an unrivaled musical alchemist, Wiberg’s work has illuminated an array of now-classic albums over the years performing with the likes of Opeth, Spiritual Beggars, and Candlemass, as well as Clutch/The Bakerton Group, Switchblade, and Kamchatka, among others, for over thirty years. However, it’s Wiberg’s solo conjurings that serve as the zenith of his musical voyages.
In 2019, Wiberg released his debut solo offering, Head Without Eyes. A record of Nordic prog submerged in a gnawing stew of jolting guitar notes and emotive melodies, Wiberg’s debut laid bare an unexplored sonic landscape that surpassed the successes of his past and solidified his strong presence as a unique solo artist in his own right. Wiberg followed Head Without Eyes with his equally stunning 2021-released All Is Well In The Land Of The Living, But For The Rest Of Us… Lights Out EP, a compelling celebration of innovative rock at its finest. Expanding and further evolving his vision, Wiberg expertly composed the definitive and established paradigms of traditional progressive rock with spirited and electrifying twists of dark tone. The Metal Observer hailed, “a great EP that serves as a fitting soundtrack to these strange, dark times,” adding, “its thick, otherworldly atmospheres represent a gloriously dark and hallucinated take on Scandinavian prog that weaves together Wiberg’s many musical influences and takes them to the next level of dark melodic exploration.
The Serpent’s Here continues Wiberg’s innovative trajectory boasting six consuming tracks, plus a fantastically gloomy rendition of Warrior Soul’s “The Losers,” that are at once grim and surreal; airy yet ominous. Wiberg paints vivid sound tapestries with his clever sense of dynamics and thoughtful lyricism. Each song moves with alluring subtlety and suspense, not unlike the conventions of classic film noir. And while Wiberg strays far from the traditional musical constructs, there’s an inescapable melodicism and intrinsic catchiness to his output that makes even his most experimental outpourings seamlessly accessible.
“The music has a strong familiar identity I’d say,” notes Wiberg, “It’s heavy in its tone but this time a little braver, up-tempo, loose, and ‘rock’n’roll’ compared to the previous two albums. Overall, this is the most epic sounding of my stuff so far. Things are more defined. I worked hard with lyrics and vocal arrangements this time.”
On The Serpent’s Here, Wiberg is joined by drummer Tor Sjödén (Viagra Boys) who played drums on the previous EP, as well as bassist Mikael Tuominen (Kungens Män). Basic live tracks (drums, basses, grand piano) were recorded at Studio Gröndahl by David Castillo and, as with previous releases, the record was mixed and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren at Blacklounge Studios.
“All songs are built from rough song sketches that I showed Tor and Mikael,” elaborates Wiberg of The Serpent’s Here’s writing process. “The idea was that they could improvise. All basic tracks were recorded live in an afternoon to give it that extra spontaneous energy, and then I’d layer keys, guitars, and vocals on top of what we recorded. Overall, there are more guitars this time as well as two basses on the majority of the tracks.”
Stay tuned for more track teasers from the record to be revealed in the weeks to come.
Find preorder bundles at the Despotz Records webshop.
Tracklisitng:
“Dead Sky Lullaby”
“The Serpent’s Here”
“Blackguards Stand Silent”
“This House Is Someone Else’s Now”
“He Just Disappeared”
“Follow The Unknown”
“The Losers” (Warrior Soul cover)
“The Serpent’s Here”:
(Photo – Soile Siirtola)
