Swedish progressive metal quartet An Abstract Illusion will return this fall with their highly anticipated third full-length, The Sleeping City. Set for release on October 17 via Willowtip Records, the album follows the critical triumph of 2022’s Woe, which drew near-universal acclaim for its immersive songwriting and emotional depth.
For the new record, An Abstract Illusion drew inspiration from ’80s sci-fi soundtracks and artists such as Depeche Mode, My Bloody Valentine, and Boards of Canada, the band aimed to craft what they describe as “the soundtrack to a dystopian sci-fi film, such as Blade Runner or Terminator, if it were written by a death metal band.”
An Abstract Illusion explained further: “When we compose an album, we don’t want it to just be a collection of random songs — we want a holistic theme coursing through its veins. For The Sleeping City, we returned to a more concise, song-focused structure and pushed ourselves to explore new textures and influences, while remaining rooted in heaviness and atmosphere.”
Produced by An Abstract Illusion‘s own Karl Westerlund, the album was mixed and mastered by Robin Leijon and features drums recorded by Jakob Herrmann (Devin Townsend, Evergrey, Vildhjärta) at Top Floor Studios in Gothenburg. The striking cover art, evoking the painted aesthetic of early black metal, was created by Alex Eckman-Lawn (Horrendous, Nero Di Marte).
The Sleeping City will be released in CD, limited edition longbox CD, 2xLP vinyl, and digital formats. Pre-orders are available here. In the meantime, you can learn what it means to be an absolute fucking master at progressive metal thanks to the above single “No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons”. Incredible, no notes.
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