Finnish melodic death metal band Whispered, renowned for blending Japanese musical influences and traditional themes with modern metal, will release their long-awaited fourth studio album, Honorbound, on September 11. Nearly a decade has passed since the band’s previous full-length, Metsutan (2016), making Honorbound a highly anticipated return.
The album campaign began in April with the release of the first single, “Ikikaere”, which climbed into YouTube’s Top 20 Trending Music Videos shortly after its release. The enthusiastic response confirmed that Whispered’s return had been eagerly awaited by fans both in Finland and abroad.
Honorbound is the result of years of dedicated work. During the lengthy writing and recording process, the band also became increasingly self-sufficient, taking full control of the album’s production.
“After the previous album, we had a strong feeling that we wanted to take everything into our own hands and learn how to do this entirely on our own terms. That was the beginning of a journey that definitely wasn’t supposed to last ten years, but sometimes things simply take as long as they need to.
Along the way, we also realized that chasing perfection is an excellent way to stretch deadlines into eternity and lose touch with reality one new mix at a time.
Still, we never gave up. Even when the process felt endless at times, we kept pushing the album forward with determination until it was finally finished. This record was created largely by two people, but its completion also strongly belongs to the new lineup. The energy that came from them reminded us why we do this in the first place: to get this album out into the world, return to the stage, and above all finally move on to making the next record.”
Released now, the album’s final single, “Battlecry”, captures everything that defines the Whispered sound: crushing riffs, epic melodies, and storytelling inspired by Japanese tradition.
“‘Battlecry’ was born in the midst of the album process from dire need to create something that drives forward with steady and heavy pulse while capturing many aspects what Whispered is all about. As the name might give away, the song is about going to battle with everything you got, even when the odds aren’t at all in your favour. Steel, honour and no prisoners. The battle hymn of the Shogunate!”
A lyric video featuring footage from the band’s European tour in May is also released now.
Watch the lyric video here.
Whispered will perform a selection of festival shows throughout the summer before embarking on a UK mini-tour in September. Additional live dates will be announced later this autumn.
Upcoming Live Dates are:
July 10, 2026 – Dark River Festival, Kotka, Finland
August 15, 2026 – SaariHelvetti, Tampere, Finland
September 9, 2026 – 229 Club, London, UK
September 10, 2026 – Bannerman’s, Edinburgh, UK
September 11, 2026 – Nightrain, Bradford, UK
September 12, 2026 – Gryphon, Bristol, UK
September 18, 2026 – Kuudes Linja, Helsinki, Finland
“Orders to all warriors: stream the new track relentlessly and march to the shows in full force to witness the return of the shogunate. Ikikaere! – Whispered
Lineup:
Jouni Valjakka – Vocals, Guitar
Mikko Mattila – Guitar
Olli Paajanen – Bass
Filip Gäddnäs – Drums
Whispered’s music represents True Finnish Samurai Metal – melodic death metal that blends influences from Japanese traditions with epic orchestration. The band was founded by Jouni Valjakka in 2004 out of a love for metal music and Japan, giving birth to Whispered.
Their debut album Thousand Swords (2010) introduced this distinctive fusion to the metal scene. A darker and more mature continuation followed with their second album Shogunate Macabre (2014), and their third full-length Metsutan – Songs of the Void (2016) elevated the band’s multi-layered vision to a new level.
Whispered’s music and visual identity have earned the band widespread international recognition for its cross-cultural approach to heavy music. The band has toured in Finland, across Europe, and in Japan, building a strong live reputation and a loyal fanbase. After several years on hiatus, their long-awaited next album will be released this year.
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