END OF ABYSS released their debut album, Escape to a New Empire, on October 23, 2026. The Finnish progressive metal release brings together a fantasy narrative, symphonic arrangements and material developed over years in composer and producer Petrus Syvänperä’s home studio.
In the announcement supplied by Inverse Music Group, Syvänperä describes the intention behind the record: “The goal was to create a progressive metal album without sonic or artistic compromises. We wanted to build music that transports the listener to another world while also encouraging reflection on our own time.”
The concept follows a protagonist who joins a group able to fight its enemy through dreams in a medieval-inspired fantasy world. As the story develops, its darkest forces emerge as part of society itself. The narrative addresses escapism, power, institutions and social structures, including the individual’s relationship with them.
The announcement names Kamelot, Ayreon, Symphony X and Stam1na among the musical inspirations, alongside Queen’s melodic approach. Guitarist Juha-Matti “Masa” Berg emphasizes how the arrangements relate to the narrative: “The compositions and arrangements have been carefully crafted to serve the story and atmosphere.”
END OF ABYSS began in Jyväskylä, Finland, in the early 2000s as Syvänperä’s one-man project. Its first self-recorded demo appeared in 2010. Subsequent years of home-studio development shaped both the music and the story, with different collaborators contributing before a permanent lineup took form.
The debut entered production in 2024. Guitarist Alpo Pöytäkangas joined during that phase and also contributed to the songwriting; bassist Janne Koskenkorva followed shortly afterward. Koskenkorva’s other bands include Baulta and Portrait of Beyond. Vocalist Mikko Herranen subsequently joined, contributing to the album’s melodic and symphonic development.
The recordings also feature solos by Antti Koivistoinen, whose involvement dates back to the demo years, and rhythm guitars by Berg, associated with Remastered. These contributions accompany the guitar work of Pöytäkangas and Syvänperä.
Herranen describes the production period as a story of growth, saying, “We came a long way even during the period when I was involved in the production.” Pöytäkangas offers a shorter assessment of how listeners might receive the result: “The music speaks for itself. One person swipes left, another finds a lifelong friend.”
Most recording took place at Syvänperä’s home studio, which he built and developed over many years. Additional sessions were held at Herranen’s Noise Floor Studio and Berg’s Musakonttori. Herranen also mixed and mastered the album.
Reflecting on the process, Syvänperä says, “During the making of this album, I learned more than I could ever have imagined at the beginning of the project. Looking back, there are many things that would have been useful to know in advance.”
The ten-track running order is “Vultures,” “Astral Dreams,” “One For The Broken,” “Parasites of the Stream,” “Incomplete,” “Fraudulent Rant,” “Veritas,” “Island of Isolated Minds,” “Sound Of Soul” and “Escape to a New Empire.”
The supplied band photograph is credited to END OF ABYSS.
