Vreid’s new album “The Skies Turn Black” out today

With “The Skies Turn Black”, Vreid enters one of the most defining eras of their more than 30-year career. The release marks their first studio album in five years and showcases a band that continues to evolve, refine its sound and push its artistic vision forward. The record brings the band back to the essence of their Sognametal identity while expanding their musical horizons in striking new ways.

The creation of the album was far from straightforward. “Making this album was inspiring and hell”, the band explains. It began with optimism and eventually moved into a period of strain. Despite decades of playing together, Vreid found themselves at a point where they questioned their direction, their momentum and even the foundation of what they had built. “But that is life. You fight your way back on track and see where it leads”. Where it led was to eleven songs shaped by struggle, perseverance and creative rediscovery.

Honoring roots while forging new paths
Much of the album’s character grew out of unexpected moments. One of the most important breakthroughs happened in a remote mountain cabin, where a late-night idea became the song and first single “From These Woods“. The band describes it as one of those rare creative sparks that appears almost fully formed. It set the tone for the album and reconnected Vreid with the emotional core of their Sognametal roots while pointing toward new creative territory.

Another turning point emerged during the creation of the title track “The Skies Turn Black“, which has taken on a central role on the album. Written by bassist and songwriter Jarle Kvåle as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne and the music that shaped his life, the song carries a deeply personal resonance. Kvåle’s experience attending Black Sabbath’s farewell concert in Birmingham, after previously helping organize the band’s final Norwegian shows, including Ozzy’s, left a profound mark and sparked the creative energy that shaped the track’s weight and atmosphere. That same contemplative tone continues into “Echoes of Life“, where Vreid further explores the melancholic and atmospheric qualities that have been present since the band’s earliest days.

Throughout the album, fragments of the past merge with new ideas. Early thrash influences return with renewed force and fire, echoing their origins in the 90s. Songs like “Loving the Dead” show the opposite side of the spectrum, where Vreid deliberately moves beyond familiar ground. For this track, they invited Agnete Kjølsrud from Djerv to contribute vocals, and her performance added an intensity and emotional depth that helped push the song into unexpected territory.

The cinematic side of Vreid’s creativity continues with “Kraken“, written for the blockbuster film of the same name. This collaboration carries a personal dimension, since the film’s producer Einar was the band’s first music teacher and helped them record their earliest demos more than 30 years ago. Meeting again through this project became a full-circle moment that strengthened the album’s sense of history and continuity.

Even moments of collapse became important steps in the album’s journey. When Vreid released “Flammen” to mark three decades as a band, everything suddenly paused. “Vreid went black,” they say. The members needed to reset and allow time and silence to determine whether the band had a future. That break ultimately created the space necessary for “The Skies Turn Black” to be born.

Heaviness is central throughout the album, not only musically but emotionally. Songs like “Smile of Hate” and “Chaos“, originally based on slower or doom-oriented ideas, were dismantled and rebuilt until they became some of the fastest and most intense material on the record. The album closes with “The Earth Rumbles“, a piece the band sees as a summary of the album’s full range and a statement of who Vreid are today.

Pride, precision and a renewed creative fire
Despite the challenges surrounding its creation, “The Skies Turn Black” became a creative breakthrough. Vreid take immense pride in the songs, in the powerful production shaped together with producer Anders Nordengen, and in the hand-drawn artwork created by Kim Holm. Above all, they are proud that they have created an album that feels like the strongest work they have ever made. “That feeling is what keeps the chase worthwhile.”

“The Skies Turn Black” will be released on March 6th, 2026, with pre-orders opening on December 10th, 2025. The release coincides with Vreid’s return to European stages as they join Hypocrisy, Abbath and Vomitory on a major tour that will bring their Sognametal legacy to audiences across the continent.

Vreid remains one of Norway’s most resilient and forward-driven metal bands, shaped by history, strengthened by adversity and still driven by an unshakable creative fire.