Black Arcana 🌙

Evanescence ➢ Who Will You Follow

[Verse 1] All the battles fought Take the armor off Hold me in your gentle heart My head simmers down When you come around Clear the poison from my thoughts

[Pre-Chorus] 'Til the fall of the human race And the lights flicker out in space I would stay, I would stay right where you are

[Chorus] When all of Heaven's angels are dead If this is all that's left Two of us for life It was always you and I When even time has come to its end When it's flipped on its head Two of us for life It was always you, it was always you and I

[Verse 2] Found my missing piece Oxygen I breathe You're the fire in my soul Right from the first sight 'Til the afterlife Finally, I've come home

[Pre-Chorus] 'Til the fall of the human race And the lights flicker out in space I would stay, I would stay right where you are

[Chorus] When all of Heaven's angels are dead If this is all that's left Two of us for life It was always you and I When even time has come to its end When it's flipped on its head Two of us for life It was always you, it was always you and I

[Post-Chorus] Even when all else is lost I would stay right where you are

[Bridge] When all of Heaven's angels are dead If this is all that's left Two of us for life It was always you and I

[Chorus] When all of Heaven's angels are dead If this is all that's left Two of us for life It was always you and I When even time has come to its end When it's flipped on its head Two of us for life It was always you, it was always you and I

[Outro] It was always you, it was always you and I

International symphonic metal legends KAMELOT — renowned for their infectious melodies, cinematic storytelling, and electrifying live performances — return with their haunting new album, "Dark Asylum", arriving August 28, 2026 via Napalm Records. Today, they give fans their first peek into the twisting hallways of RavenHill Asylum with "Ashen World", a triumphant, cinematic, and epic anthem.

From its very first note, "Ashen World" launches with unmistakable KAMELOT grandeur, propelled by founding guitarist Thomas Youngblood's expressive lead work, soaring orchestration, and the rich symphonic arrangements that have become the band's hallmark. The track embodies everything fans have come to love about KAMELOT; cinematic darkness, unforgettable melodies, and a towering anthemic chorus, while introducing fresh textures and unexpected twists that expand the band's sonic landscape.

Youngblood comments: "'Ashen World' captures that moment of standing at the crossroads between darkness and hope, where the journey forward begins. It’s classic KAMELOT at its core, while opening new doors into the world of 'Dark Asylum'."

With countless dynamic shifts, vocalist Tommy Karevik showcases the full breadth of his remarkable range, effortlessly moving from intimate, haunting passages to his signature soaring power. Adding another layer of atmosphere, DECESSUS frontwoman and reigning Miss World Chile 2025 Ignacia Fernández makes an ethereal vocal appearance that intertwines beautifully with the song's haunting mood, as "Ashen World" tells the story of a world descending into darkness while never losing sight of hope, resilience, and redemption.

Karevik adds about the single: "It's a deep dive into the topography of the human mind, exploring its valleys, peaks, and the void in between. It's about breaking free from the limiting beliefs that hold us captive and creating a new reality that allows us to expand and realize our full potential."

Set within a shadowed Neo Victorian-era world, "Dark Asylum" invites listeners beyond the gates of RavenHill Asylum — an imposing institution once built as a grand cathedral, now repurposed into a place where science, faith, and madness uneasily coexist.

Youngblood commented: "'Dark Asylum' follows a soul trapped inside a world of masks, fractured memories, and psychological torment, wandering the endless halls of RavenHill in search of truth, identity, and redemption. What begins as a descent into darkness gradually transforms into a journey of awakening, where beneath the fear, illusion, and chaos lies the possibility of healing, hope, and ultimately a path out of the shadows into Sanctuary. The album explores the duality between despair and salvation, blurring the lines between reality and madness through theatrical storytelling, haunting atmospheres, and deeply emotional themes."

Karevik added: "'Dark Asylum' invites listeners into the hidden chambers of the human mind. A journey where every door reveals a different story, yet all remain deeply connected. At its core, the album explores the duality of human nature: the constant tension between fear and hope, chaos and stillness, destruction and healing. 'Dark Asylum' reflects the struggle to remain sane within a cold and barren world, while ultimately discovering that salvation is not something found externally, but something that already exists within us all. Through self-exploration, awareness, and inner peace, healing becomes possible. This concept opened the door to a more cinematic and haunting sonic landscape, allowing us to experiment with darker, more eerie musical themes."

Longtime KAMELOT producer Sascha Paeth returns to helm the album, alongside Jacob Hansen, who oversees mixing and mastering.

Karevik concluded: "The imagery was intentionally painted with delicate strokes, capturing the fine line between beauty and disorder, and the way chaos and tranquility coexist within the same space. The result is an immersive experience that feels both unsettling and deeply human. A descent into darkness that ultimately searches for light."

Deepening the immersion of RavenHill, "Dark Asylum" will be released on a plethora of exciting platforms, including standard gold, solid silver, and classic black vinyl editions, certified vinyl with the white label, white splatter, and blood filled variants, the latter of which are each paired with an official 24-page booklet. Multiple CD digipak available, with the two-disc version including an instrumental version of the album, alongside cassette and digital options.

KAMELOT pushes further into cinematic and atmospheric territory on "Dark Asylum", diving deeper into theatrical darkness while preserving the signature hooks that define their sound. Candlelight trembles along towering arches and cold stone corridors as you are greeted familiar specters: AVANTASIA mastermind Tobias Sammet, ELUVEITIE's Lea-Sophie Fischer, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS's Clémentine Delauney, Fernández, Rannveig Sif Sigurðardóttir and Sólveig Sara Leupold and Billy King. Identity fractures, reality bends, and control slips into unseen hands, guiding its central figure through a descent into psychological darkness that ultimately leads toward transformation… and perhaps sanctuary. From the cinematic sweep of "Ashen World" to the introspective depth of "Sanctuary", and the layered mystique of "Ivy, My Dear", "Dark Asylum" unfolds as a fully immersive journey, blending orchestral grandeur, haunting melodies, and theatrical storytelling into one cohesive vision.

"Dark Asylum" track listing:

01. Sanctorium 02. Ashen World (feat. Ignacia Fernández) 03. ⁠Dark Asylum 04. Sanctuary (feat. Clémentine Delauney & Ignacia Fernández) 05. Nocte Veritas 06. One Last Masquerade (feat. Tobias Sammet) 07. ⁠Ivy, My Dear 08. Godlike Alchemy 09. The Sleeping Mind (Orphic Paradigm) 10. Kaleidoscope 11. Enigma (Think Of Me) 12. Cassandra's Disease 13. Beneath the Moon (Tunglið) (feat. Rannveig Sif Sigurðardóttir, Sólveig Sara Leupold, Lea-Sophie Fischer) 14. ⁠The Puppet King 15. ⁠Sanctum Requiem

KAMELOT is:

Tommy Karevik - Vocals Thomas Youngblood - Guitars Oliver Palotai - Keyboards Sean Tibbetts - Bass Guitar Alex Landenburg – Drums

In a new interview with The Mistress Carrie Podcast, EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee spoke about the bond between women in heavy music, saying it's "really cool" to see "the rock and metal sisterhood" constantly growing. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We [EVANESCENCE] had... I forget which chart — I guess it was the Active Rock or whatever, we had the Number One slot. And THE PRETTY RECKLESS had Number Two. And, I was like, 'How badass is that?' Like, absolutely ruling it. Women on top. It's really cool.

"I need the women in my life," Amy explained. "I love the sisterhood, and the rock and metal sisterhood is amazing because it's an ever-growing group. It really is. But we all support and push each other, because we want there to be more open-mindedness and inclusivity in general and all of those things. We all also have a really high standard. If you're gonna make it that far, it can't be about being a woman. That's not gonna get you there. It's gotta be you're really hardworking and talented. Like they say in New York, the proof is in the puddin', right? So you just gotta bring it. That's the way to make it work."

Lee also discussed EVANESCENCE's recently launched tour in support of the "Sanctuary" album, which came out on June 5. Amy said: "This tour has been such a cool moment and statement for that exact thing, women supporting women, women in heavy music. We've got the NOVA TWINS and SPIRITBOX on this tour with us. We'll have Poppy and the NOVA TWINS, and then also K.Flay [who features on EVANESCENCE's 'Fight Like A Girl' single] on the next couple [of runs]. So we're doing 'Fight Like A Girl' every night and having all the girls get up on one song, and it is just the most... It's just the sweetest moment. It really is.

"How cool is it, too, to show the support?" Lee added. "Because I really feel like one of the tools that used to be used in not-so-distant history to keep us down was always sort of show and joke about this idea that we're all fighting each other behind the scenes, that there can only be one and catfights and that whole ridiculous 'we're just gonna try to tear each other down' thing, which is just not how it is. And the more, I think, women see that that's not how it is, the more accepted they can imagine that they will be when they get here."

EVANESCENCE kicked off its 2026 North American tour on June 11 at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The North American trek will run through an August 2 show in Clarkson, Michigan. A European tour will follow from early September through early October, after which EVANESCENCE will return to the U.S. for a special one-off gig at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on October 26. Special guests SPIRITBOX and NOVA TWINS are opening on the North American portion of the tour, and special guest Poppy will support on the Europe shows, with NOVA TWINS opening outside the U.K. K.Flay will open the U.K. shows. K.Flay will also support EVANESCENCE for their Red Rocks Amphitheatre concert.

EVANESCENCE has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1/£1/€1 from every ticket sold will support organizations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief to those in need around the world.

"Sanctuary" is available as a digital album, standard CD, deluxe CD and limited-edition box set. A double vinyl of the album will be released on September 4. The deluxe CD is exclusive to the EVANESCENCE store and includes a Blu-ray that contains a "Live In São Paulo" concert, documentary from EVANESCENCE's 2023 South America tour and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the "Who Will You Follow" video. The deluxe vinyl is also a webstore exclusive.

Photo credit: Chapman Baehler (courtesy of Mercenary Publicity)