BOREALIS – the chaotic Melodic Metal legends from Canada, have announced their fifth studio album ‘Illusions’ due out on October 7th, 2022 via AFM Records. With it, comes a tsunami of a new single titled “Pray For Water” that debuted on August 19th, 2022.

After opening for epic acts like Sonata Arctica, Kamelot, and Epica since their beginning in 2008, BOREALIS took hold of the Melodic Metal scene with their influential mix of thundering instrumentals and sky-flying vocals. 2018’s ‘The Offering‘ album saw BOREALIS release tracks like “Sign of No Return” that brought listeners collectively to their knees in awe.

Arguably the band’s most complete album to date, the band states “We are so excited to release this new record, considering how long it’s been and what the world has been through over the last 2 years! With the extra time we had with this one, we feel like these are some of the best songs we’ve ever written. Some of the songs were written way back in 2019 so we’ve had time to really perfect them.”

“Pray For Water” sees BOREALIS bring storms ashore, crashing into us like a torrential downpour of divinity. This new era for BOREALIS also sees the addition of bassist Aiden Watkinson, as Trevor McBride decided to take a step back in 2020 due to personal reasons. Even with such a change up, there is still seamless transition within the band’s movement. From vocals to riffs, there is a touch of finesse in every second that plays out in this melody.

The introduction is an immediate drop into a world that continues on the story of ‘The Offering‘ years after, recounting the traumas that helped to build and shape our lives – just as we have seen, ourselves, over the past two years.

The chorus is infectious, with lyrics like “I try, to run away from my life” lingering both vocally and spiritually as we step through the puddles of the rain that once washed away our sorrow. Closing our eyes, we fall back in, to remember, and to return to move on.

I, myself, enjoy the lengthy instrumental pieces near the three minute mark that has fantasy-level cinematic influence in its orchestration, dropping in with fiery solos before once more flipping on the intensity and allowing us to blink once more.

‘Illusions‘ features a delectable track list that is sure to envelope the soul from start to finish. If “Pray For Water” doesn’t already have you convinced, then you’re simply suffering from a drought, and should definitely re-immerse yourself in that, which is BOREALIS.

ILLUSIONS Tracklist:

01. Illusions feat. Christine Hals

02. Ashes Turn To Rain

03. My Fortress

04. Pray For Water

05. Burning Tears feat. Lynsey Ward

06. Believer

07. Light Of The Sun

08. Face Of Reality

09. Bury Me Alive

10. Abandon All Hope

11. The Phantom Silence

You can pre-order your own copy of the upcoming album via the link – here!