“SURRENDER” TO JEFF LOOMIS AND IHSAHN

Fans have been freaking out since January, when Jeff Loomis announced that he was teaming up with Ihsahn for a track on his new album, Plains of Oblivion, and with good reason — Loomis is one of modern metal’s most exciting guitar players, and Ihsahn is one of modern metal’s most exciting vocalists, so news of the team-up was bound to be, y’know, exciting.

Well, terrific news, everybody: the song in question, “Surrender,” is now streaming, and it does not disappoint.

In fact, I’m happy to report that we finally got to hear Oblivion over the weekend, and the whole album rules. I know art isn’t a competition, and I have a feeling that Loomis wouldn’t even want people thinking this way, but I’m just gonna come out and say it: I think it’s probably superior to The Obsidian Conspiracy, which may now go down in history as the final Nevermore album to feature the band’s original line-up (or possibly the final Nevermore album ever). So, a hearty golf clap for Mr. Loomis, ladies and gents.

Check out “Surrender” here, then celebrate its arrival in our comments section below. Plains of Oblivion comes out April 10. Jeff Loomis will be part of a MetalSucks-sponsored tour with Protest the Hero, Periphery, The Safety Fire, and Today I Caught the Plague starting at the end of this month; get dates here.