Swedish death metal stalwarts UNLEASHED have announced their fifteenth studio album, Fire Upon Your Lands, set for release on August 15 via Napalm Records. Ahead of the full record, the band has unveiled the lyric video for their powerful third single, “A Toast To The Fallen.”
Sharing the concept behind the track, the band offered a statement steeped in their mythic, Viking-inspired storytelling:
“In the aftermath of the great war, the Valkyries fly across the bloody sand dunes at the foot of Mount Sinai, choosing the Warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice and died fighting for our way of life. It is time for a toast for the fallen. They live forever in our hearts as they make their final journey to Valhalla.”
In a recent chat with Jai That Aussie Metal Guy, frontman and bassist Johnny Hedlund reflected on what drives the band to keep creating after all these years:
“Well, I don’t know how to stop,” he laughed. “We started this band in 1989. Before that, I was in NIHILIST, playing death metal since ’87 — which feels like 400 years ago. Back then, it was all about going out, banging heads, and drinking beers. We didn’t plan to make 15 albums, but we realized, ‘Hey, we might actually be good at this,’ and just kept going.”
Hedlund emphasized that passion remains the lifeblood of UNLEASHED. “It’s inspiring to make music and lyrics. We love it. And going out to meet people, bang heads, drink beer, see old friends — that’s the thing, man. There’s nothing better.”
Fire Upon Your Lands continues the long-running narrative arc based on a book Hedlund wrote years ago. This marks the sixth album in that ongoing saga.
“We keep translating the chapters into songs,” he explained. “The story isn’t over yet, and fans seem to enjoy it. So we keep going. This album picks up right where the last one left off.”
Drummer Anders Schultz also weighed in recently, telling RichardMetalFan that the writing process for the follow-up to 2021’s No Sign Of Life has been ongoing for years.
“We’ve been writing since the last one came out,” Schultz said. “It’s always an ongoing process. Some songs are at least three years old. We don’t set a hard timeline — we just keep writing until we say, ‘Okay, the material’s ready.’ Then we get serious about recording.”
Schultz revealed that the album was actually completed some time ago, though its release date was pushed back for logistical reasons.
“It was originally supposed to come out earlier this summer. We had to hustle to meet a deadline, and then it got pushed anyway. But a little positive pressure is good. It gets things done.”
Asked whether UNLEASHED made any big stylistic changes this time around, Schultz made it clear that while there’s always progress, the band stays firmly rooted in their identity.
“You’ve always gotta hear that it’s UNLEASHED. No wild experiments. But we still progress — just within our framework. This record’s probably similar to the last, just as the last was to the one before it. We veer off a bit and refine things, but we stay true to who we are.”
He continued:
“We said from day one: it’s gonna be death metal. If anyone wanted to add jazz or rock and roll, that’s for another band. UNLEASHED has always been about maintaining our sound — evolving within it, not outside of it.”
Tracklist for Fire Upon Your Lands:
Left For Dead
A Toast To The Fallen
The Road To Haifa Pier
War Comes Again
Fire Upon Your Lands
Loyal To The End
Midjardarhaf
Hail The Varangians!
To My Only Son
Hold Your Hammers High!
Unknown Flag
As Fire Upon Your Lands prepares to continue UNLEASHED’s long-running saga, fans can expect more of what the band does best: no-frills, Viking-fueled death metal that refuses to compromise, even after more than three decades.
