British prog melodeath Countless Skies streaming new song "Summit" from sophomore album Glow

"Summit" is a good example of the sound of Countless Skies. They are a proggy form of melodeath with various elements: melodic and extreme vocals, quiet passages with blasting speed, and a rather ambitious approach from the axiom that "more is more" and enjoying the trajectory while pushing to impede any strict labeling of their sound. In some ways, they are a contemporary melodic brand of prog that takes inspiration from classic-style 1990s melodic death metal (not metalcore/deathcore/groove/djent metal) but certainly not limiting the music to said style in 2020. --Metal Bulletin Zine

Countless Skies

Glow

Willowtip Records

6 November 2020

The official propaganda from Willowtip Records: UK-based melodic death metal band COUNTLESS SKIES have joined forces with Willowtip Records for the release of their newest album, Glow. The follow-up to 2016’s full-length debut New Dawn, Glow takes the band’s progressive brand of melodeth to new heights with richly-layered instrumentation, superb musicianship and raw emotion. Thematically, Glow is based on the album’s epic title track, a 20-minute opus split into three parts. The first single from Glow, “Summit,” has been released and is now streaming.

The bulk of the album was recorded in the home studio of guitarist James Pratt. James had this to say about the process: “It took a lot of learning and some expensive purchases, but it did have its upside. Not under the normal time constraints of being in a studio, we could take more risks, and get better performances from everyone. We also spent a lot of time adding more layers, harmonies, and even some extra instruments.” Glow was mixed and mastered by Juho Räihä of SoundSpiral Audio. Willowtip Records will release Glow November 6 on digipak CD, digital and vinyl formats.

COUNTLESS SKIES burst onto the metal scene with their self-titled EP in late 2014. Blending progressive and darkly intense music influenced by their Scandinavian melodeth heroes, the EP received acclaim worldwide and began a flood of shows up and down their native UK with multiple highlights including an invitation to Bloodstock Open Air 2015. Building upon their rapid momentum, the band soon caught the attention of Kolony Records, a deal was signed and the band began work on their debut full length. New Dawn was released June 2016 and was praised “as an effortless display of bravado and musicianship in ways that I can’t soundly describe,” by USA’s New Noise Magazine and an impressive debut from the UK’s Metal Hammer. “Countless Skies have what it takes to really blossom in to something original and beautiful... a band with great skill and even greater potential,” stated Zero Tolerance Magazine. With applause the world over following the release of New Dawn, the band embarked on a UK tour with Finland’s 'Whispered'. Several shorter tours followed including their first stints abroad, appearing at multiple European festivals such as Dark Troll Festival, Skaldenfest, and MetalDays.

Glow by Countless Skies