TESTAMENT Guitarist's DRAGONLORD To Release 'Dominion' Album In September

DRAGONLORD, the California-based black metal band led by TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson, has released a lyric video for the title track of its upcoming third album, "Dominion". The disc, which is due on September 21 via Spinefarm Records, will feature eight tracks of devastatingly unrelenting black and death metal assault. The album artwork was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM)

Peterson says: "I'm super stoked for you all to finally hear 'Dominion'! This song has all the arsenal to engage any metal appetite! From the first drum cannon-walloping performed by Alex Bent, to the melodic discorded sounds of my guitars and haunting choirs performed by Celtic singer Leah, entering in my lyrical blackened satanic tongue followed by unholy orchestrated strings and violas performed by Mr. Livingston — this song has it all! A beautiful, violent storm whirls your way! Breaking down to two old-school-influenced guitar solos voiced before and after some cleaner melodic singing, only to be sucked back into the vortex... Enjoy!"

"Dominion" features Eric Peterson on vocals, guitar and bass, Lyle Livingston (PSYPHERIA) on orchestrated keys and pianos, Alex Bent (TRIVIUM) on drums, and notable fantasy metal singer Leah — who has performed/recorded with members of BLIND GUARDIAN, NIGHTWISH, DELAIN and others — on female vocals and choirs.

As aural the gates to "Dominion" creak open on the first track, "Entrance", you descend into the dark world of DRAGONLORD and there's no turning back. "Dominion" explores themes of darkness owning and influencing these times we now live in, and things that have come to pass. It also delves into other eras, real and imagined. The pummeling begins with the title track, "Dominion", welcoming all who dare enter into an eternity of misfortune. Then it's into "Ominous Premonition", which Peterson likens to "the soundtrack to the gates of hell". The track "The Northlanders" is about brutal 11th century Northmen, while "The Discord Of Melkor" will thrill "Lord Of The Rings" fans with an untold tale — "my take on Tolkien's "Silmarillion", the first age of the "Lord Of The Rings" saga genesis, says Peterson. Then there's the surprise of the slower, BLACK SABBATH-influenced duet with "my amazing Celtic vocalist friend and collaborator Leah," Peterson explains about "Love Of The Damned", an abstract piece that still explores a love story — with the devil, of course. "Almost like a switch-up story of if Beatrice from 'Dante's Inferno' did fall for the Prince of Darkness!"

"Dominion" track listing:

01. Entrance
02. Dominion
03. Ominous Premonition
04. Lamia
05. Love Of The Damned
06. Northlanders
07. The Discord Of Melkor
08. Serpents Of Fire

Recorded at Trident Studios near Peterson's Northern California home, "Dominion" took about four years to complete, between TESTAMENT tours and albums. Peterson produced the album with an assist from engineer/mixer Juan Urteaga (TESTAMENT, MACHINE HEAD, M.O.D.),and mastering by famed producer/engineer Jens Bogren of Fascination Street Studios in Sweden.

If the road to "Dominion" was long, it's only because Peterson strives for perfection. He says: "The biggest obstacle was getting the vocal patterns and lyrics right; telling the story of the music. Maybe I was a little too picky, but at the end of the day I'm glad we didn't settle for things that I wasn't feeling right about."

Eric Peterson is tuned to E Flat on "Dominion", and used his two favorite Les Pauls for rhythm and some solos; his Ritchie Blackmore Fender Strat for other solos, as well as his signature Dean Old Skull Flying V. "I used a lot of different guitars to get various sounds. I didn't want my tone to be too close to TESTAMENT, but wanted to still maintain my signature sound. I really felt I needed to lay down the kind of stuff I do on my own — but not necessarily on records," he explains. "I'm pretty stoked of the outcome on the soloing end."

Peterson formed DRAGONLORD in 2000 as its singer and guitarist (with keyboardist Lyle Livingston and now-ex-members Steve DiGiorgio of TESTAMENT and Jon Allen of SADUS),and notes that the growth from DRAGONLORD's first two records to the cinematic triumph and brutal blast-beats of "Dominion" has been immense. "Dominion"'s stellar, complex, brutally symphonic metal is triumphant in its execution, bringing together layers of meaning and musicality into an unholy whole.