Sensory label news: Nation Beyond, Kingfisher Sky, Dark Suns & Zero Hour

Sensory Records, part of The Laser's Edge group, has announced three exciting metal releases for the coming months: The Aftermath Odyssey by Nation Beyond is scheduled for March 11, 2008 release; Dark Suns' Grave Human Genuine will land on these shores on March 25th, as will Hallway Of Dreams from Kingfisher Sky.

Nation Beyond began as a side project of Debase guitarist Jonas Karlgren and Face Down bassist Joakim Hedestedt. The two death metal veterans had released albums on labels like Nuclear Blast, Black Lodge and Sanctuary/Noise with their respective bands, but what they had in mind was an epic concept album that ventured down a different musical path. The duo found not one, but two powerful vocalists in Nielz Lindstrom and Sara Heurlin and, with help from some of their Debase and Face Down bandmates, created The Aftermath Odyssey, a dramatic tale of love, hate and betrayal set in the wake of a nuclear apocalypse. A potent blend of power and prog-metal, Nation Beyond is already being compared to classic bands like Savatage.

Kingfisher Sky began with the duo of drummer Ivar de Graaf, formerly of Within Temptation, who had decided to leave that band after its Mother Earth album, and haunting vocalist Judith Rijnveld. The two began writing heavy, atmospheric music influenced by such diverse sources as Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Porcupine Tree and Clannad, developing an eleven-song demo tape that led to the band being signed to the Dutch label Uburban Records. They recruited a stellar line-up of musicians that includes bassist Eric Hoogendoorn from Orphanage, guitarists Daan Janzing and Edo Van der Kolk and keyboardist George Van Olffen. Kingfisher Sky recorded Hallway Of Dreams during the summer of 2007, licensing the album to The Laser's Edge for North American release. The band has already received favorable comparisons to both Within Temptation and The Gathering.

Dark Suns' third album, Grave Human Genuine, is the result of two years of exacting work. After two successful tours opening for prog-metal faves Pain Of Salvation, the band worked on a follow-up to its acclaimed 2005 album Existence. Charting new musical territory, the band says that they have "created a haunting album full of autonomy and instrumental class, self-consciously charting new musical territory."

In other Sensory Records news, the label will be releasing the anticipated fifth album from prog-metal band Zero Hour on April 29th. Titled Dark Deceiver, the San Francisco-based band promises a few musical surprises guaranteed to delight Zero Hour's growing fan base. Want a taste of the new Zero Hour CD? How about a track from the Nation Beyond disc? Right click on the links below to download songs to your computer:

Zero Hour - "Dark Deceiver" [mp3]
Nation Beyond - "New Eden City" [mp3]