Before The Dawn - Rise Of The Phoenix - LP COLOURED PRE ORDER 21 August 2026

“Rise Of The Phoenix” marks a pivotal and ultimately final chapter in the first era of BEFORE THE DAWN. Written and recorded during a period of major internal change within the band, the album carries a unique sense of both closure and transformation. Looking back, Tuomas Saukkonen describes a time in which the future of the band was uncertain — with the feeling already present that this could become the last BEFORE THE DAWN record of that era.
Despite the challenges surrounding the band at the time, the actual creative process turned out to be remarkably smooth and inspired. That underlying tension between uncertainty and creative relief can be felt throughout the album, resulting in a striking balance of aggression, melancholy, and an unexpected sense of light at the end of the tunnel.
Songs like “Phoenix Rising” embody the raw energy and emotional core of the record, while “Throne Of Ice” in particular has taken on a deeper significance in hindsight — acting as a clear creative bridge toward what would eventually become Wolfheart. In many ways, “Rise Of The Phoenix” now stands at a crossroads in Tuomas Saukkonen’s musical history: the final chapter of BEFORE THE DAWN’s first life, and the first sonic glimpse of what was still to come.
At the time of its release in April 2012, the album’s lifespan was unexpectedly short. Shortly after, BEFORE THE DAWN was laid to rest, and the material was only performed live on a single European tour and a handful of festival appearances. As a result, the album has long felt underrepresented in the band’s live and recorded legacy.
With its first-ever vinyl release arriving on 22.08.2026 via Reaper Entertainment, “Rise Of The Phoenix” finally receives the physical format many fans have been waiting for. For Tuomas Saukkonen, this release feels like a long-overdue recognition of an album whose story was cut short far too early — now finally given the space it deserves.

Tracklist
Side A:
1 Exordium
2 Pitch-Black Universe
3 Phoenix Rising
4 Cross To Bear
5 Throne Of Ice

Side B:
6 Perfect Storm
7 Fallen World
8 Eclipse
9 Closure
10 Unbreakable (2012 Version / Bonus)
11 Deliverance (Bonus)