Bastion’s Wake release their new single and music video, – Willow’s Ruse.
“Willow’s Ruse” stands as a cornerstone of Bastion’s Wake’s forthcoming sophomore album, Go Tell The Bees… — a sweeping conceptual journey through fear, sadness, and the renewal of hope in the face of adversity.
Vision and Resilience
The story of Bastion’s Wake began in 2016, when vocalist and 12-string guitarist Sami joined forces with guitarist Rayto, in their own words, “write the music we wanted to write and play the music we wanted to hear.”
That vision became the band’s creative foundation — uncompromising, inventive, and deeply personal.
With no drummer at the time, Ray engineered a custom-programmed system known affectionately as “the box.” It powered their backing tracks while syncing lights and video, transforming each performance into a mesmerizing audiovisual experience.
Audiences were immediately drawn to Sami’s soaring, ethereal vocals and Ray’s down-tuned, technical guitar work, creating a soundscape that was both cinematic and immersive.
In 2019, Bastion’s Wake released their self-produced debut, Sea Creatures and Sky Pirates — a labor of love blending melodic death, doom, and symphonic metal into a lush, emotional experience.
A year later, the lineup expanded with drummer Rob Westbrook (Pessimist) and his son Ben on bass, solidifying the rhythm section and unlocking new creative possibilities.
Shortly after, tragedy struck when Ray suffered sudden heart failure, surviving only through the emergency implantation of a pacemaker — at just 30 years old. Rather than halting their progress, the band channeled this ordeal into renewed purpose, crafting the material that would become Go Tell The Bees…
The Sound of Survival
Mixed and mastered in Norway by Øystein G. Brun of Borknagar at Crosound Studio, Go Tell The Bees… captures the full emotional and sonic range of Bastion’s Wake.
From the hard-hitting epics “Willow’s Ruse” and “Runway” to the haunting intimacy of “Pathos” and “Tiny Box,”the album is both cathartic and cinematic.
“Willow’s Ruse” in particular encapsulates everything Bastion’s Wake has become — Sami’s transcendent vocals, Ray’s intricate guitar lines, and the powerful synergy of Rob and Ben’s rhythm section. It’s a declaration of endurance, a reflection of struggle, and a promise of rebirth.
“More than a song, it’s a statement of survival,” says the band. “A reflection of our journey — and a glimpse of what’s to come.”
About Bastion’s Wake
Formed in Delaware in 2016, Bastion’s Wake began as a duo with a vision: to merge Sami’s melodic death and doom influences with Ray’s love for symphonic and power metal. When they couldn’t find a drummer nearby, Ray’s technical ingenuity birthed “the box,” allowing the pair to bring a full cinematic experience to live audiences.
The positive reception to their live shows and debut album propelled them onto local and regional stages, including a tour with We Are Sentinels (Jonah Weingarten & Matt Barlow).
In 2019, Rob Westbrook joined on drums after 25 years away from the scene, bringing his son Ben on bass — completing the Bastion’s Wake family.
Their sophomore effort, Go Tell The Bees, takes everything they’ve built and amplifies it — a conceptual work exploring grief, loss, and awakening hope. With Øystein G. Brun’s analog mastering touch, the record finds balance between heavy cinematic epics and atmospheric introspection.
Fans rallied behind the project, funding its vinyl pressing to 210% of its Kickstarter goal within 10 days.
Bastion’s Wake are mainstays of Delaware’s “Party Like It’s 793” Festival, hosted by Brimming Horn Meadery, and have shared stages with Tengger Calvary, We Are Sentinels, Ashes of Ares, Fires in the Distance, LÖR, A Sound of Thunder, and many more.
With Go Tell The Bees… and the powerful new single “Willow’s Ruse,” Bastion’s Wake continue to forge a sound that’s equal parts cinematic metal, emotional storytelling, and raw resilience.
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