Finnish symphonic death metallers KARU unveil their second single, “Alone In The Forest,” taken from the forthcoming concept album “Perdition”. Following the intense and cinematic power of “Shadow War,” this new track offers a deeply emotional journey through themes of loss, isolation, and survival amid the spirits of a mythical Japanese wilderness.
Balancing brutal death metal ferocity with majestic orchestral passages and melancholic melodies, “Alone In The Forest” highlights the essence of KARU’s sound where aggression and beauty coexist in perfect harmony. The song’s evolving dynamics from towering riffs and guttural vocals to ethereal melodic sections capture the spiritual and emotional struggle at the heart of the album’s storyline.
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Niko Hienonen, the track showcases the band’s refined compositional depth, strengthened by the intricate guitar work of Kalle Pöyskö and Toni Tieaho (Crystalic, ex-Mors Principium Est). Visually complemented by artwork from Driope Project, the single continues the narrative thread leading to the album’s climactic title track, “Perdition”.
KARU’s music channels both the unforgiving nature of the North and the mysticism of feudal Japan, merging cold precision with cinematic emotion. The result is a sound as vast and powerful as the landscapes that inspired it.
For fans of: Wintersun, Nightwish, Children of Bodom
Listen to “Alone In The Forest”:
Digital – https://lnk.to/VsIw0G
Lyric Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq1qj6B-ukE
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“Perdition” will be released worldwide on November 21st, 2025.
ALBUM PRE-ORDER – https://rockshots.eu/products/karu-perdition-cd
“Shadow War” – Lyric Video – https://youtu.be/kmaz_NyPDOo
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Track Listing:
1. Shores of Mist and Blood
2. Shadow War
3. Alone in the Forest
4. Embers in the Skies
5. Trail of Fire
6. Path of the Unforgiven
7. Perdition
Karu Line Up:
Niko Hienonen – Vocals, Production, Orchestrations
Kalle Pöyskö – Guitars
Toni Tieaho (ex-Mors Principium Est, Crystalic) – Guitars
More info:
https://www.instagram.com/karu_band/
https://www.facebook.com/KARUbandofficial
ABOUT:
KARU was formed in 2017 by Kalle Pöyskö and Niko Hienonen as a studio project. In 2020, the boys came out with the first EP “KARU,” which paved the way for the future of the band. The EP introduced the driving metal force of the band as well as the beautiful orchestrations that would be more prominent in the band’s future releases. In 2023, KARU was formalized as a proper live band, and two singles were released from the upcoming album. In April 2024, the band’s first full-length concept album, “HYDRA,” was released. The album gathered attention from critics and received critical acclaim for its unique atmosphere and attitude towards conjoining brutal metal and beautiful orchestras.
The band started to work on the next full-length album already before “HYDRA” was released. The concept started as an epic journey through the wilderness of a fantasy-themed Japan, drawing inspiration from the Japanese spiritual world, where all the forests have a spirit of their own. The band finished the album in the summer of 2025, only a year after their last album was released. The band went through some lineup changes, and the newest lineup is the founders Pöyskö and Hienonen, as well as the lead guitarist virtuoso Toni Tieaho (Crystalic, Existence Depraved, ex-Mors Principium Est). With the new lineup, the band’s sound evolved to wholly new levels, and “Perdition” is a testament to the band’s new sound.
With “Perdition,” the band aims to bring their music and energetic live show to new audiences within and outside of their native Finland.