Michael Barber Leaves GLORYHAMMER to Make WIZARDTHRONE His Full-Time Focus

Photo Credit: Xhul

After a decade with GLORYHAMMER, multi-instrumentalist Michael Barber has left the band to make WIZARDTHRONE his primary musical focus, setting the stage for the project's first live performances and its first new music in five years.

The move coincides with the release of “Death Cycles,” WIZARDTHRONE’s first new track since its 2021 debut album, Hypercube Necrodimensions.

Barber has taken over lead vocals in addition to guitar for the new incarnation of WIZARDTHRONE. He is joined by guitarist Matthew Bell of FORLORN CITADEL, bassist Keiran Allen of AKERCOCKE, ALESTORM keyboardist Christopher Bowes and TWILIGHT FORCE drummer Isak Olsson.

“Ever since Hypercube Necrodimensions came out in 2021, I couldn't stop thinking about writing more music and getting WIZARDTHRONE on stage,” Barber said. “The ideas stacked up between other tours until it was obvious: This had to be my number one focus.”

“Death Cycles” also signals a shift in WIZARDTHRONE's self-described “extreme wizard metal.” While retaining the project's combination of extreme and melodic metal, the new material moves toward a heavier and more direct attack, incorporating melodic death, black and power metal influences.

The track was mixed by Dave Otero, whose credits include ARCHSPIRE and SHADOW OF INTENT. Dan Goldsworthy, who created the artwork for Hypercube Necrodimensions, returned to provide the single's artwork.

Barber said “Death Cycles” represents both his current direction as a musician and the first recorded performance from WIZARDTHRONE's new lineup.

“Isak and Keiran, two of the best musicians I know, alongside my long-standing songwriting partners Chris and Matt,” Barber said. “More new music is in the works right now, and we're finally ready to play live.”

Lyrically, “Death Cycles” turns Barber's experiences with burnout, grief and the passage of time into cosmic horror. Its story imagines an alien entity collapsing every possible timeline and version of existence into a single point.

WIZARDTHRONE will make its live debut Nov. 21 at The Underworld in Barber's hometown of London.

The band will then join ALESTORM and BATTLE BEAST for a 15-date UK and Ireland tour beginning Jan. 14 in Cardiff and concluding Jan. 30 at O2 Forum Kentish Town in London. WIZARDTHRONE is also scheduled to perform at Masters of Rock in the Czech Republic July 8.

WIZARDTHRONE Live

Headline:
Nov. 21 — London, UK — The Underworld

With ALESTORM and BATTLE BEAST:
Jan. 14 — Cardiff, UK — The Great Hall
Jan. 15 — Birmingham, UK — O2 Academy
Jan. 16 — Bristol, UK — O2 Academy
Jan. 17 — Bournemouth, UK — O2 Academy
Jan. 19 — Newcastle, UK — O2 City Hall
Jan. 20 — Leeds, UK — O2 Academy
Jan. 21 — Manchester, UK — O2 Ritz
Jan. 22 — Norwich, UK — LCR
Jan. 23 — Dundee, UK — Livehouse
Jan. 24 — Glasgow, UK — O2 Academy
Jan. 25 — Belfast, UK — Ulster Hall
Jan. 27 — Dublin, Ireland — 3Olympia Theatre
Jan. 28 — Nottingham, UK — Rock City
Jan. 29 — Oxford, UK — O2 Academy
Jan. 30 — London, UK — O2 Forum Kentish Town

Festival:
July 8 — Vizovice, Czech Republic — Masters of Rock

WIZARDTHRONE consists of Barber on vocals and guitar, Bell on guitar, Allen on bass, Bowes on keyboards and Olsson on drums.

Watch the WIZARDTHRONE lyric video for "Death Cycles":