ANATA: New Audio Samples Available; Band Splits With Guitarist

Swedish death metallers ANATA have posted two "rough-mix" excerpts from their forthcoming album, due later in the year via Earache Records. The two clips, which are both taken from the song "Greed Conquers All", are available for streaming on the group's MySpace page. The band says, "Basically every sound will be different [on the final version]! Also, these are instrumental versions and vocals are still to be recorded."

In other news, guitarist Andreas Allenmark, who has been a member of ANATA since 1997, has decided to leave the band effective immediately. According to the group, "his primary reason seems to be that he has lost his passion for playing such technical music. At his last meeting with the band, he uttered things like, 'I just can't do this do myself anymore. I know the timing is very bad indeed, but it's like I don't have a choice. I just can't; sorry, guys.'"

All guitar parts on ANATA's forthcoming album are being recorded by the band’s founder/guitarist/vocalist Fredrik Schälin. He states, "We fully respect Andreas' decision to leave the band and we part as friends. If your heart's not in it, there's no way you can be part of a band as demanding as ANATA. Of course the timing is quite bad, but still… we know that he would have recorded his parts on the new album if only he felt that he could."

Schälin continues: "As you may know we have already started to record, and what we have achieved so far sounds extremely good! Conny, Henrik and I are in great shape, and even at an early stage as this, the album seems likely to become the most powerful and aggressive in the band's 15-year history! So when not recording, I'm learning Andreas' bits, and I will also re-write the few leads he was supposed to play. As usual, I play most of the leads so we're just talking about re-writing four or so. And since I write almost all of the music, I have no problem recording all of the guitars. Doing this will, of course, be hard work, but we will have an exceptional result."

Once the new album has been recorded, ANATA will launch the search for a replacement guitarist.

Following on from 2006's "The Conductor's Departure", ANATA's as-yet-untitled fifth full-length album is being recorded in two locations, with the drums having been laid down at Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, AMON AMARTH, PARADISE LOST) in Örebro, Sweden, while the guitars, bass and vocals are all being tracked by the band themselves with their own equipment.

ANATA has revealed a tentative track listing for the new CD (in no particular order):

01. Lanterns Shine Black
02. Acts Of God
03. The Darkest Of Souls
04. The Part Of Me That Had To Die
05. A Welcome Change Of Pain
06. Machinery
07. Exploited And Left To Die
08. Greed Conquers All