Activist metal supergroup, Savage Lands, have just dropped their video single, “Ruling Queen,” featuring Arch Enemy‘s Alissa White-Gluz and Kenneth Andrews of Obituary. Their upcoming album, Army of the Trees, comes out February 15, 2025, on Season of Mist records, with all proceeds going to environmental conservation. Check out the new video and more below.

Pre-order/pre-save Army of the Trees here: https://orcd.co/savagelandsarmyofthetrees
Donate here: https://savagelands.org/donation/

“Art and activism converge in a space of meaning, and that is where I choose to stand,” says Arch Enemy front woman Alissa White-Gluz. “Metalheads have always been powerful and passionate people in my eyes. I hold deep gratitude for Savage Lands and their relentless work in safeguarding the fragile beauty of Costa Rica’s ecosystem.”

“It has been my pleasure and honor to be part of this unbelievable project,” Obituary guitarist Kenneth Andrews says. “Let’s do our part!”

Feast your eyes on the blockbuster video for the star-studded new single and even those outside of the metal scene will know that Savage Lands are fierce defenders of our natural habitat. But this supergroup aren’t acting when it comes to preserving the world’s ecosystems. After witnessing how land developers are tearing down Costa Rica’s rain forest, Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren and his old guitarist Sylvain Demercastel decided they weren’t going to sit around and rust in peace. In 2022, they started Savage Lands, the music industry’s first artist-run environmental non-profit. 100% of the royalties from the organization’s first feature-length album support their ongoing preservation projects in Costa Rica and other countries. Army of the Trees features members of Sepultura, Heilung, Lord of the Lost and other metallic superstars. On the album’s new single “Ruling Queen”, Savage Lands call on metal’s blue-haired heroine along with one of its strongest axemen to help defend their turf.

Scenes from “Ruling Queen” were shot on location in the Arenal Volcano area, as well as in the 100,000 square feet of high-risk Costa Rican tropical dry forest that Savage Lands has preserved in Playa Negra Guanacaste using royalties from their music. But while the video opens on a peaceful mountain vista, the rumble of drum fills from Loco Muerte‘s Florian Pons warn that trouble is afoot. Before the guitars can even sink their teeth into the song’s biting riff, a band of armed soldiers come storming through the forest hellbent on turning a profit. It’s a sight and sound that Savage Lands’ co-founders know all too well. “After hearing chainsaws tear through Costa Rica on a daily basis, we knew it was time to act,” says Sylvain, “because the buzzing is only getting louder.”

Savage Lands is backed by environmental activists and angry metalheads alike. The world-famous Nordic collective Heilung donated $1 for every ticket sold during their most-recent U.S. tour to support their Season of Mist label mates. Hellfest followed by donating 1 million Euro to the organization over the next five years. During their performance on the main stage at last year’s festival, Sylvain and the core band were joined by members of Napalm Death, Biohazard, Body Count, Textures, The Gathering, Nasum and Cultura tres. Savage Lands is also partnering with the Jane Goodall Institute on biodiversity projects in France and Africa.

Now, with their new single, Savage Lands are adding the queen of the jungle to their ranks. As the softly swirling melody of “Ruling Queen” appears like a break in the clouds, who else should appear but the leading lady of the Swedish melodeath dynasty Arch Enemy. “Fall of the universe,” Alissa White-Gluz sings as she stalks the video’s unsuspecting invaders from the treetops. Even her soaring cleans are heavy with disdain for her soon-to-be prey. “We’re nothing special, we’re no heroes.”

Joining forces with Alissa came naturally to Savage Lands. While she and Dirk have crossed paths with their respective bands on the international touring circuit, they’re also both vegans and animal rights advocates. “That’s important to us,” Dirk says about the partnership behind “Ruling Queen”. “Obviously, it’s great when Savage Lands receives support from a huge star like Alissa, but that she also buys into the philosophy behind our organization makes it even better.”

Sharing similar beliefs about the environment led Savage Lands and the Arch Enemy front woman to develop an organic songwriting chemistry. Though slotted toward the top of the album’s tracklist, “Ruling Queen” was one of the last songs that Sylvain and core vocalist Poun wrote for Army of the Trees. It came together quickly, too. Shredding leads, crashing cymbals and the booming bass of Poun’s Black Bomb A bandmate Etienne Treton surge together into a raging chorus that’s as powerful and free-flowing as a waterfall.

“The good songs tend to come together easily.” Sylvain says, though Savage Lands needed some guidance from the song’s namesake when carving out the verses. “Alissa is a true professional,” he continues, “She has a very analytical way of working but also understands the power of symbols,” She helped strike the right balance between Poun’s bat-like scream and her cavernous growl. “The whole world is sick with fear.” they shout in unison, a bone-crushing refrain that sticks in your head long after you’re finished headbanging.

“To walk among the flora and fauna of Costa Rica has been a long-held aspiration for me,” Alissa says. “To do so while creating music and championing their protection was not just a privilege but a reminder – true purpose lies in something greater than oneself.”

Making the video for “Ruling Queen” wasn’t always such a breeze. Gornoss directed Savage Lands and company on a 10-day trek through Costa Rica. Setting up inside the heart of the jungle did give them a bird’s-eye view of a hard-working colony of leafcutter ants, but filming at night besides a giant, roaring campfire tested everyone’s mettle. “It was so hot,” Sylvain remembers. “I couldn’t touch the side of my guitar.”

While certainly no stranger to the swamps, Obituary’s Kenneth Andrews had some mild reservations about joining the video team’s excursion. After hearing his bandmate John Tardy unleash his inner primate on Savage Land’s first-ever single, the seasoned vet was dying to flex his chops on “Ruling Queen”. “Once I got the call, everything came together naturally and very quickly,” Andrews says. “Before I knew it, I was flying to Costa Rica to shoot the video.” The extreme metal guitarist was sweating over filming amidst the beasts of the jungle but seeing the calming beauty of Costa Rica’s ecosystem up close and personal restored his timeless cool.

“The experience was very surreal,” Andrews continues. “I will never forget the hospitality and professionalism of the whole crew, not to mention being part of a very important movement that I honestly didn’t understand the scope of until meeting everyone involved. My eyes have been opened…wide!” Flanked by Alissa’s knockout belt, his courageous solo brings the video’s villains to their knees.

“That makes me really happy,” Sylvain says. “It shows that it’s possible to change the way people think about nature. Our goals are attainable. By converting the land that we purchase into nature sanctuaries, Savage Lands will help set a precedent for environmental activism. But we must work together and quickly. Ecosystems are still under attack. If we don’t, then there won’t be any wildlife left to save.”

Raise your horns and join the Army of the Trees in support of the metal non-profit. Just listening to “Ruling Queen” helps support Savage Lands. 100% of the song’s royalties fund the musician-run non-profit’s preservation efforts. The CD Digisleeve for Army of the Trees is made from eco paper, while the LP is pressed on BioVinyl.

Army of the Trees tracklisting:
01 Black Rock Heart (feat Kai Uwe Faust)
02 Ruling Queen (featuring Alissa White-Gluz)
03 The Last Howl (featuring John Tardy, Andreas Kisser)
04 No Remedy (featuring Maria Franz)
05 Out of Breath (featuring Lord Of The Lost)
06 Better Man
07 Never Be Up
08 Army of the Trees
09 Visions of Life
10 Addicted

Available Formats
Digital Download
CD Digisleeve
12″ BioVinyl (Gatefold)

Check out previous singles “The Last Howl” (https://youtu.be/yrnm6pNdBFI) and “Out Of Breath” (https://youtu.be/Qb9S_JeNwd4)

Having seen first-hand how deforestation threatens Costa Rica’s rain forest, two angry metalheads are banging their heads together to protect the world’s ecosystem. Sylvain founded Savage Lands with his long-time friend and Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren in 2022. Thanks to their music, the 501 (c) (3) non-profit has preserved 100,000 square feet of forest in high-risk areas along the Costa Rican coastline. 100% of the royalties from their first album, Army of the Trees, support their ongoing preservation projects in Costa Rica and other countries. The roots behind Savage Lands run deep. Dirk and Sylvain first met in France during the late ‘90s, when they both played in the socially conscious thrash metal band Artsonic. But just like a tree, the organization is supported by different types of branches. “As a non-profit, we depend on the support of other organizations, fellow artists and our listeners.” Dirk says.

In Costa Rica, Savage Lands partners with scientists, forest engineers, ecological parks, private businesses and other non-profits. Their Green Alliance (Alianza Verde) has led to more than 11,000 trees being planted in deforested areas throughout Costa Rica thanks to the help of 1,200 volunteers.

“What Savage Lands is doing is fantastic,” says Dr. Jane Goodall, whose global institute is partnering with the metal non-profit’s European branch on preservation projects in France and Africa. “Nature is music. Trees have music, but when we lose species after species, our ecosystem collapses. Savage Lands are using their music to support projects that promote biodiversity, which will help make the world better for future generations”

Collaboration also fuels the creative fires of Savage Lands. The core band includes Poun and Etienne Treton from the veteran French metalcore band Black Bomb A, along with Loco Muerte’s Florian Pons. When they planted their ecological flag on Hellfest’s main stage in 2024, movers and shakers from across the metal sphere showed up to support. Not only did the festival leader pledge to donate 1 million Euro to the organizations over the next five years. Daniel de Jongh (Textures), Silje Wergeland (The Gathering), Jesper Liveröd (Nasum), Alejandro Montoya (Cultura tres), Vincent Price (Body Count), Billy Graziadei (Biohazard), Shane Embury (Napalm Death) and Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) all joined for an appropriately bloody and scream-worthy rendition of “Roots.”

“I’m happy to be a part of such a truly important cause,” Embury said after the performance. “We are connected with every living thing on this planet and Savage Lands is helping to preserve nature’s treasures.”

Army of the Trees features even more metallic fire power. Out of the sludgy distortion that spews from “The Last Howl” crawls Obituary’s John Tardy, who pays a fitting tribute to the endangered Howler monkey by unleashing his inner primate with spit-flinging growls. “Black Rock Heart” carves out a wickedly blackened groove, though the song’s aggressive chug is fueled by more spiritual concerns. “We wanted the music to reflect our mounting frustration with the way the real estate heat wave is destroying Costa Rica’s ecosystem,” Sylvain says. “For so long, nature has been trying to warn us that we’re putting our future at risk.” Who else could represent the magical spirit of the forest but visionary artist Chloé Trujillo and Heilung’s chief of ceremonies Kai Uwe Faust. Heilung are also working with Savage Lands outside of the recording studio. The world-famous Nordic collective donated $1 for every ticket sold during their most-recent U.S. tour to support their Season of Mist labelmates. “Supporting Savage Lands was an easy decision for us,” says Maria Franz, whose soothing high notes grace the melancholic power ballad “No Remedy.”

“That’s another beautiful thing about Savage Lands,” Sylvain says. “As a band, we’re not limited to just one genre. We can adapt to boost the strengths of whomever is joining us.”

Savage Lands’ debut album introduces several new species of metalhead to their ecosystem. Eurovision’s darlings Lord Of The Lost spill their blood and glitter over the spiky riffs that puncture “Out of Breath”. Holding court over lead single “Ruling Queen” with her serpentine cleans and lioness roar is none other than Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz. “Now is the time to take a stand,” the band roar in a fierce rallying cry during the album’s climactic title track, backed by Julien Truchan from Benighted and other pillars from the French metal community.

“Our goals are attainable,” Sylvain and Dirk say. “By converting the land that we purchase into nature sanctuaries, Savage Lands will help set a precedent for environmental activism. But we must work together and quickly. Ecosystems are still under attack. If we don’t, then there won’t be any wildlife left to save.” Raise your horns and join the Army of the Trees in support of the metal  non-profit.

Core lineup:
Poun – Vocals  
Sylvain Demercastel – Guitars
Etienne Treton – Bass
Florian Pons – Drums

Special member:
Dirk Verbeuren – Drums on “Black Rock Heart”, “The Last Howl” and “Out of Breath”

Guest features:
Kai Uwe Faust – Vocals (Black Rock Heart)
Chloe Trujillo – Vocals (Black Rock Heart, Out of Breath)
Alissa White-Gluz – Vocals (Ruling Queen)
Kenneth Andrews – Guitar (Ruling Queen)
Andreas Kisser – Guitar (The Last Howl)
John Tardy – Vocals (The Last Howl)
Maria Franz – Vocals (No Remedy)
Lord Of The Lost – Vocals, Guitars (Out of Breath)

Follow Savage Lands:
https://savagelands.org/
https://savagelands.bandcamp.com/album/army-of-the-trees
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/savage-lands/1712738479
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fft5SyNYhNar3PdYtKQSF
https://m.facebook.com/p/Savage-Lands-100081754354224/
https://www.instagram.com/savagelands_project/
https://www.youtube.com/@savagelands9644