Shadow Kingdom Records announces March 27 as the international release date for Haneda, the highly anticipated fourth full-length album from German metallers CRUEL FORCE. The album will be available on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
Truest of the true, CRUEL FORCE first burst onto the underground scene in 2008 with the demo Into the Crypts…. At a time when many bands attempted to resurrect the ancient German black thrash sound, CRUEL FORCE stood apart with undeniable authenticity and songwriting that honored the tradition rather than merely imitating it. Their early full-lengths, 2010’s The Rise of Satanic Might and 2011’s Under the Sign of the Moon, quickly earned the band cult status within the international metal underground.
Following a lengthy hiatus, CRUEL FORCE returned revitalized with the 2022 EP Across the Styx and, one year later, the acclaimed album Dawn of the Axe, released through Shadow Kingdom Records. That release marked the beginning of a new era for the band, one defined by renewed focus, and a deeper exploration of classic heavy and speed metal roots.
Now, CRUEL FORCE continue that momentum with “Haneda”. While their earliest material leaned heavily into a raw blackened thrash aesthetic, this second era pushes further into old-school speed metal territory.
Though it follows naturally from its predecessor, Haneda stands firmly on its own. More epic in scope and richer in atmosphere, the album carries the listener through mystical landscapes and forgotten realms, from ancient temples and desert plains to jungles, mountains, and beyond.
Haneda is deeply conceptual in mood and presentation, reinforced by a massive and natural production that recalls the authentic sound of the 1980s, especially in its thunderous drums and powerful guitar tones.
As the band themselves explain, “To us, it often feels like what Rainbow or Dio would have sounded like if they played speed metal.” That vision is fully realized on Haneda, where neoclassical elements and subtle Eastern European metal influences collide with the ferocity of classic Kreator, Deathrow, Razor, Piledriver, Powerlord, and the grandeur of Rainbow, Iron Maiden, and Virgin Steele. The result is pure, unfiltered authenticity.
With whips swinging and swords raised high, CRUEL FORCE march forward once more, wielding steel and summoning ancient powers. Haneda is an invitation into a world of savage gods, warlords, and awakening titans, a journey for those brave enough to disturb the crystal skull and face what lies beyond.
The first single will be revealed later this month. Preorder information will be announced soon.
Tracklisting for Haneda:
- The Cross
- Whips A Swinging
- Savage Gods
- Sword Of Iron
- Crystal Skull
- Warlords
- Black Talon
- Titan’s Awakening
- Haneda