Metal loves its intricately delineated subgenres, but it’s always cool when a band comes along and resolutely refuses to fit into any of them. The UK’s Svalbard are one of those bands. At times, Svalbard sound like they belong within the black metal/shoegaze Venn diagram. Other times, they sound like crust or post-hardcore. They write vulnerable and emotional hooks, and they always sound huge, but they never let their feelings or their sheen get in the way of their ferocity. They stand alone.

Earlier this year, Svalbard released their single “Eternal Spirits,” their first new track since the excellent 2020 album When I Die, Will I Get Better? Today, Svalbard have announced the impending release of their new LP The Weight Of The Mask. Svalbard recorded the new album with longtime collaborator Lewis Johns, and it’s all about turning depression into aggression. Today, Svalbard have dropped the video for opening track “Faking It,” which sounds tremendous. Here’s what bandleader Serena Cherry says about the track:

“Faking It” is a song about feeling deprived of meaningful human connection due to depression acting like a wall that shuts you off from others. It addresses the ways in which those who suffer with depression can feel guilted into putting on a happy mask. The lyrics are a reflection on happiness as a social obligation and how scarily good you can become at deceiving everyone around you into thinking that you’re fine when you’re not. With “Faking It,” we are both acknowledging the pressure for forced positivity, the fear that people won’t like you if you’re sad, and also questioning where the root of this intolerance towards depression lies.

Below, check out the “Faking It” video and the tracklist for The Weight Of The Mask.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Faking It”
02 “Eternal Spirits”
03 “Defiance”
04 “November”
05 “Lights Out”
06 “How To Swim Down”
07 “Be My Tomb”
08 “Pillar In The Sand”
09 “To Wilt Beneath The Weight”

The Weight Of The Mask is out 10/6 on Nuclear Blast.