Tristania "Rubicon"

Rubicon is the sixth full-length album by the Norwegian band Tristania. It is the first Tristania album to feature female Italian vocalist Mariangela Demurtas, who replaced former frontwoman Vibeke Stene.

The album displays a different lineup from the previous album. It is the first Tristania album to feature Mariangela Demurtas on female vocals, Kjetil Nordhus on clean vocals, Gyri Smørdal Losnegaard on guitars, Ole Vistnes on bass, and Tarald Lie Jr. on drums. It's also the first album with harsh vocals that are performed entirely by guitarist Anders Høyvik Hidle. Pete Johansen made a guest appearance on violin after a nearly ten-year absence. Singer Østen Bergøy appeared as a session member, after scaling back to part-time membership in the band due to family commitments.

The first video of the album was for the song "Year of the Rat," released on 12 August 2010.

Track listing

1. "Year of the Rat" Bergøy Hidle/Vistnes/Demurtas 4:35
2. "Protection" Bergøy Hidle/Vistnes/Demurtas 4:15
3. "Patriot Games" Bergøy Hidle/Vistnes 3:27
4. "The Passing" Lie Jr./Fredrik Sele/Demurtas Hidle/Vistnes/Demurtas 4:48
5. "Exile" Bergøy Hidle/Vistnes/Demurtas 4:26
6. "Sirens" Bergøy Hidle/Vistnes/Demurtas 4:27
7. "The Emerald Piper" (Digipak bonus track) Bergøy Hidle/Vistnes 3:06
8. "Vulture" Hidle/Lie Jr. Vistnes/Sorychta/Vegge/Nordhus 3:43
9. "Amnesia" Vistnes/Lie Jr. Hidle/Vistnes 4:54
10. "Magical Fix" Lie Jr. Vistnes/Hidle/Lie Jr./Sorychta 4:20
11. "Illumination" Bergøy Moen 8:13
12. "Caprice" (Japanese bonus track) 3:38

Recording information:

Drums recorded in Tanken Studio, Oslo by Fredrik Wallumrød, January 2010.

Guitars, bass and violin recorded in K-Lab Studio, Stavanger by Anders Høyvik Hidle and Ole Vistnes, February 2010.

Vocals recorded in Amadeus Studio, Oslo by Sigmund Olgart Vegge and Waldemar Sorychta, February/March 2010.

Mixed by Waldemar Sorychta and Dennis Koehne in Flying Pigs Studio, April 2010.

Mastered by Svante Forsbäck @ Chartmakers (www.chartmakers.fi), May 2010.

Produced by Anders Høyvik Hidle and Ole Vistnes.

Co-produced by Waldemar Sorychta.