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This afternoon, Merlin Sutter and Tommy Vetterli/Tommy T. Baron finished the drum recordings for our upcoming new album at New Sound Studio! We will share more details about the album in due time. Meanwhile, after two sessions and a total of 7 days, Merlin can say this: "I am extremely happy with the results of yet another very rewarding drum tracking experience with Tommy. Again, we got the best possible result in both sound and performance! And one thing is certain: I'll definitely have to get in shape before we bring these songs to the stage later this year!"

ALBUM TITLE / RELEASE DATE / COVER ART REVEALED!!

With the finished album finally in our hands, we are extremely excited to begin sharing some details of our latest work with you. Let’s begin by answering the question you’ve all been asking: Our new album is called ‘Origins’, and it will be released in just under three months – on August 1st worldwide, August 4th in England, Scotland and Ireland, and on August 5th in North America! Check out the wonderful cover artwork created by Chrigel Glanzmann below.

We would also like to take the time to share some first insights on the lyrical and historical themes of ‘Origins’ with you. In Chrigel’s words:

“ORIGINS deals in-depth with Celtic mythology, or to be more precise, with aetiological tales from Gaul in particular. Hence we’re facing strongly mythical as well as spiritual subjects on this album, topics which we have approached very scientifically and in cooperation with several scientists and diverse universities. Many aspects of Gaulish mythology and spirituality remain in the dark nonetheless, while others run through the theme like a golden thread – like this eminent, yet innominate god, for instance, of which the Gauls claimed to be direct descendants and which was compared to the Roman chtonic deity Dis Pater.

Today we cannot say which Gaulish god this was exactly. But according to all we know it’s likely that we’re dealing with Sucellos here. Throughout space and time he appears over and over again – from very old spiritual customs of ancient Gaulish tribes in today’s northern Spain all the way to later statues in today’s Switzerland, France and elsewhere.

Perhaps he is this mysterious nameless one.

The album cover of ORIGINS is designed after the hammer/club-shaped ‘halo’ of Sucellos, as seen on a statue, that was found in a shrine of a gallo-roman household in today’s France. It was created under the scientific supervision of experts from the university of Zürich.”

We are very happy to announce the release of the first single off of 'Origins': 'King' will be released on June 12, 2014 (and available on the download or streaming platform of your choice on June 13) - just in time for our main stage performance at this year's Greenfield Festival! Here's what Chrigel has to say about the song.

"The song „King“ deals - what a surprise - with a remarkable king who lived in the 5th century BC. His name was Ambicatus and he was the ruler of the gaulish tribe of the Bituriges, who lived in today‘s central France (their capital was Avaricum, today‘s Bourges, the city you might know from the song „The siege“ off our album „Helvetios“).

Regarding the names, both - the tribe as well as it‘s ruler - seem to be exceptional. „Bituriges“ can be translated as „kings of the world“, while „Ambicatus“ can be interpreted as „fighing against all sides“.

Lyrically „King“ is linked together with the track „Carry the torch“.

Ambicatus is mentioned in the founding legend of Mediolanum (today‘s Milan in northern Italy) by Livy whose source was Timagenes. This legend could perhaps be fictional and is possibly linked to the etruscan legend of Arruns, yet it contains a lot of astonishing historical evidence.

According to Livy Ambicatus was the mightiest of all gaulish kings, his reign was blessed and he was loved by his people. Gaul prospered under Ambicatus‘ rule and grew „so rich in fruits and people, that the vast amount could hardly be governed anymore“ (Livy 5;34). Ambicatus wished to relieve the kingdom of overpopulation. Yet since he was advanced in years himself, he sent out Bel- lovesus and Segovesus - the sons of his sister (which is interpreted as indication of celtic matrilineali- ty by some scientists) - to find new lands. The two young men were sent out to lead a large amount of Gauls (from more than six different tribes) and immense troops to „the lands the gods would show them through signs“. The two brothers indeed expanded Gaul and founded several important cities (among othes Mediolanum).

While „Carry the torch“ deals with Bellovesus and Segovesus, „King“ focuses the beginning of it all: Ambicatus and his myth-enshrouded rule.
According to current scientific knowledge Livy‘s portrayal of Ambicatus can‘t originate from the roman historians mind and his perception of Gaul, but is heavily shaped after typical celtic beliefs and the celtic conception of kingship. In the later insular celtic culture we know the concept of the „high king“ (also „sacral king“): One (druidical) ruler above regular kings. Such a „sacral kings- hip“ is not evidenced in Gaul by antique literary testimonies. But the figure of Ambicatus suggests that the „sacral kingship“ may have been a very old concept already known in the Gaul of the iron age (Hallstatt age). This would also explain the tribe-spanning rulership of Ambicatus, as mentioned by Livy (which is the only existing record of such in antique literature). In this context Ambicatus‘ tribes name (Bituriges) seems not to be a coincidence neither.

Ambicatus role as „superior ruler“ as described by Livy also seems to be drawn from celtic beliefs about kingship, according to which the prosperity of a tribe and the fatness of the land are depen- ding on the rightfulness of a king, as well as on his health, his virtue, goodness and moral.

Furthermore there‘s the theory (by Françoise Le Roux) that the „sacred center“ of Gaul („the omphalos“, the „axsin bitous“ - the world axis) originally was located in the Bituriges‘ territory. We‘re talking about the very place Gaius Iulius Caesar describes as „locus consecratus“ and pinpoints in a large forest on Carnutian territory (the Carnutes were direct neighbours and also partners of the Bituriges and also accompanied Bellovesus and Segovesus) centuries later.

Even though many of these assumptions are hypothetical and yet to be proven, Livy‘s portrayal of Ambicatus and his story (including the founding legend of Mediolanum) remains something very interesting, as well as intriguing and astonishing: A roman literary testimony which is actually full celtic thoughts and characteristics, which suggests celtic historic realities behind it."

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