ARKAEA: 'Years In The Darkness' First-Week Sales Revealed

"Years In The Darkness", the debut album from ARKAEA — the new band featuring FEAR FACTORY members Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar) and Raymond Herrera (drums) — sold 980 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Note: Internet/digital sales **ARE** included in the SoundScan totals.) The CD landed at position No. 39 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Years In The Darkness" was released in the U.S. on July 14 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The CD was produced by Christian Olde Wolbers and ARKAEA and mixed by legendary producer Terry Date, best known for his work with the DEFTONES, SLIPKNOT, WHITE ZOMBIE, SOUNDGARDEN and PANTERA. The album was mastered at Sterling Sound by Ted Jensen, who mastered FEAR FACTORY's gold-certified 1998 release "Obsolete".

Singer Jon Howard (THREAT SIGNAL) describes ARKAEA's familiar-yet-innovative sound: "Chris and Ray have been writing together for many years, so the music does have a lot of FEAR FACTORY elements. However, we've been open to trying different things. It basically fuses what I have been doing vocally in THREAT SIGNAL with driving FEAR FACTORY rhythms, along with some of our own experimentation. The idea behind the project is to be heavy, but maintain melody at the same time. We have crazy riffs, but some grooving choruses as well. It's a great mix."

Howard has been a part of the FEAR FACTORY family ever since Wolbers served as producer for THREAT SIGNAL's debut, "Under Reprisal". Given that connection, the chemistry was there the instant the band started jamming. Howard has managed to push himself as a singer with the help of the veteran musicians. "I always try to do new things and experiment with my voice, and this project has been challenging," said Howard. "It always takes a little time to get comfortable working with new people and a new style of music, but I got over that really fast with Christian and Raymond, and I feel very comfortable where we're going right now."

"Years In The Darkness" track listing:

01. Locust
02. Beneath the Shades of Grey
03. Years in the Darkness
04. Gone Tomorrow
05. Awakening
06. Black Ocean
07. Break the Silence
08. Lucid Dreams
09. My Redemption
10. War Within
11. The World As One
12. Rise Today
13. Away From the Sun

"Locust", the debut video from ARKAEA can be viewed below.

Commented Herrera: "'Locust' was our first pick for a music video and as the opening track for the [upcoming ARKAEA] album because it really sets the tempo of the album and is a strong track that shows a great introduction to what ARKAEA is all about. We knew that we needed to come out swinging and 'Locust' definitely offers that punch."