Candlelight Records has set a January 25, 2005 U.S. release date for "Kraft", the debut album from Norway's Vreid (Norwegian for "wrath"). Formed earlier this year, the band features the surviving members of WINDIR (Hváll on bass, Steingrim on drums and Sture on vocals/guitar), disbanded due to the unexpected death of singer/founder Valfar.

"Kraft" was recorded during the summer at Hváll's Studio 1184 and was mixed at Subsonic Society Studio (Susperia, Windir, Red Harvest, Darkhrone) in Oslo.

Vreid's music is being described as a continuation of the sound and style Hváll had created with Windir and Ulcus, but with "its own personal sound ? a mixture of the ambience of Windir, the rawness of Norwegian black metal and the rocking groove of Motörhead." The lyrics are written both in Norwegian and English. Rounding out Vreid's lineup is a guitarist named Ese ? a close friend of the Vreid members for years, and co-engineer on Windir's "Likferd" album.

WINDIR, founded by Valfar in 1994, leave behind four recordings, all recorded for Head Not Found Records. The band graced stages at Inferno, Quart and Hole in the Sky European Festivals plus an appearance (and now only U.S. show) at the Milwaukee Metal Fest. The band were set to record their fifth album and first to receive worldwide release via Candlelight/Tabu Records before Valfar's death.

"Kraft" track listing:

01. Wrath of Mine
02. Raped by Light
03. Helvete
04. Unholy Water
05. Eldast, Utan Å Gro
06. Evig Pine
07. Empty
08. Songen Åt Fangen

Band profile:

Vreid