Canadian conventional heavy steel torchbearers Iron Kingdom will launch their sixth studio album, Shadows And Mud, on June 6, 2026, marking a strong milestone within the band’s historical past. The date aligns with the group’s fifteenth anniversary after they fashioned in June 2011, and the 82nd anniversary of D‑Day, a coincidence the band describes as “the planets aligned… however we are going to let the music communicate for itself.”
Alongside the announcement, Iron Kingdom has revealed the album’s placing cowl paintings by Alan Lathwell and a first-look teaser, providing followers a glimpse into their darkest and most formidable document but.
Recorded totally within the band’s newly accomplished dwelling studio, one other first of their profession, “Shadows and Mud” explores themes of demise, hardship, impermanence, and resilience, wrapped within the band’s signature mix of basic heavy steel, energy steel, and NWOBHM influences.
“A improbable assortment of songs that may actually open up our reside units… it comes from just a little bit extra of a rock n’ roll edge total, however there are such a lot of components hidden inside, and I believe will probably be an actual journey to expertise it entrance to again. Lyrically, the album performs in fairly a darkish realm of matters… however I additionally suppose that’s precisely what is going to make this album accessible to individuals going by way of more durable instances, and hopefully a spot of hope, and to assist them see that they don’t seem to be alone,” provides frontman Chris Osterman (Lead Vocals / Lead Guitar).
Bassist Leighton Holmes additionally feedback:
“The newly unveiled cowl artwork attracts straight from the tune ‘Blood And Metal’, depicting a military marching throughout a brutal, unforgiving panorama, some troopers falling to the weather as others push ahead. The imagery was impressed by the Malazan E book of the Fallen sequence by Steven Erikson. Many die, many lose hope, and lots of don’t perceive why they do what they do… Life is commonly like this: we have now to undergo issues which are uncomfortable, even harmful, to achieve the place we have to be to perform what it’s we are attempting to do.”
To have a good time the discharge, Iron Kingdom will headline their greatest hometown present so far at Vancouver’s iconic Rickshaw Theatre on Friday, June 5, 2026, a big milestone for the band. Discover tickets at orangetickets.ca.
“It’s the identical venue we obtained to open for headlining bands akin to HammerFall, Angra, Sanctuary… and to really feel not directly that we have now labored our method as much as headline a venue of that measurement could be very thrilling.”
Along with the album launch festivities, Iron Kingdom will even seem on the 2026 editions of Armstrong Steel Fest and Loud As Hell Open Air Competition, bringing their new materials to one in all Western Canada’s premier heavy steel gatherings. These performances will mark some unimaginable highlights for the 12 months to come back.
Fashioned in Vancouver in 2011, Iron Kingdom has spent 15 years championing the basic heavy steel spirit of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Helloween, and the Scorpions. Recognized for his or her high-energy stage presence, intricate melodies, and uncooked, no‑backing‑tracks reside performances, the band has toured throughout Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Brazil, sharing levels with Evening Demon, Blaze Bayley, HammerFall, Angra, and extra.
Preorders:
Bandcamp
Official Merch Retailer
(Picture – Cailin Haley)
