Progressive metal pioneers North Sea Echoes – featuring singer Ray Alder and guitarist Jim Matheos of Fates Warning – are back with a new studio album, How To Cast A Shadow, set for release on July 24 via Metal Blade Records.

Building off their critically acclaimed 2024 debut Really Good Terrible Things, the band's identity is further explored and expanded through this year's offering., The duo shares that their sophomore album "has elements of everything we do or have done" while also acknowledging differences from other projects like Fates Warning.

How To Cast A Shadow ups the promise of its predecessor with provocative words of hope, sorrow, and consciousness paired with Matheos' emotive guitar work.

North Sea Echoes unveils lead single 'Enjoy The View,' which Alder describes as having a great drive and featuring quiet verses and heavy choruses that fit well on this album.,The new record cohesively crosses genres while challenging aural preconceptions, boasting the powerful ballad 'Villains Or Saints,' rock-ready 'All That Comes After,' and intimate escalating track 'A Time Of Innocence And Purpose.' The duo rounds out their discography as Alder's vocalist work spans 37 years with Fates Warning and seven albums with Redemption.,Matheos, a renowned guitarist and producer, is no stranger to critically acclaimed releases through his work with OSI and Kings of Mercia.

His contributions bring depth to How To Cast A Shadow's diverse soundscapes.

Pre-orders are available for the album, set for release in July on CD and digital formats.