Seven Lions Creates an Awe-Inspiring World in Newest Album

With Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars, Seven Lions teleports listeners into an epic, atmospheric new world.

Seven Lions has long been a melodic bass innovator, but in Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars, he returns to his roots. Released via Ophelia Records, his latest album is an 11-track odyssey through new sonic territory and familiar ground, all packed with immersive and fantastical world-building, charged lyricism, and precise detail.

The name came from me going back to my roots – books, fantasy, metal. A lot of my favorite metal tracks have these mystical, visually evocative names. I wanted something that felt old-school Seven Lions, something that sparks imagery the moment you read it – something that transports you. Immense, overwhelming, and capable of pulling you into another world.
Seven Lions

Now, I do not have a producer’s ear, and I do not know much about the technicalities of melodic dubstep. But like Seven Lions, I am an avid reader and a lover of fantasy, complex world-building, and vivid storytelling. There’s nothing better than opening a book and escaping into a magically immersive world within the pages, or slipping my noise-canceling AirPods into my ears and letting the sweeping soundscapes and evocative lyrics carry me into a different realm.

Listening to this album from beginning to end felt like taking a journey through an expansive sonic landscape. But before clicking play, reading Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars evoked images of fiery starlight set against a tranquil garden, encouraging the imagination to run rampant before the first note even resounds.

The opening, titular, trance-like track immediately sucks listeners in. It sets the scene for the story Seven Lions tells through this album, one centered on stepping away from the modern world’s chaos and returning to his creative roots.

To Seven Lions, Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars is a journey back to his roots, harkening back to his inspirations, his heart and soul, and the vocalists and visual artists he’s worked with. “In a world full of AI and shortcuts, this album was about sitting down and creating something meaningful,” he said.

Usually, fantasy stories follow a three-act structure: the set-up, the climax, and the resolution. Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars follows that formula. “Breaking Me” picks up after track one and carries the album forward into “Delusional” then “By the Light of the Moon,” all with alluring vocals and soaring melodies.

“A Crown of Seven Suns” serves as a serene, instrumental interlude, but feels like the musical equivalent of the calm before the storm. It mirrors that rare moment of stillness before the climax, when there’s peace and quiet, and the world feels suspended and charged with what’s about to unfold.

That immediately changes with “From Beyond,” a heavy metal, drum and bass track that feels seismic and cathartic. It’s at this point that the album’s storyline feels like its peak. The album continues with “So Far Away,” featuring Lilly Ahlberg, where Seven Lions continues exploring drum and bass territory. The track, which was released as a single back in October, marked his first release in that sonic realm.

Then “Cold as Snow,” featuring common Seven Lions collaborator, HALIENE, tells the story of a love that’s gone cold, set against a backdrop of metal-infused, abstract instrumentation. “Past You” with Oaks is an anthemic track built around a grand, euphoric drop, while “Thrice Woven” with Kerli swells with expansive, cinematic, melodic bass.

Seven Lions closes the album out with Fiora on “Breathe It Out Slowly,” an emotional and introspective finale. The track dissolves with a fading outro, leaving listeners with a moment to take a breath and reflect on their journey through the album. When the silence hits, it’s like reading the last lines of a book or viewing the rolling credits of a movie and being snapped back into reality, left with nothing but your thoughts to sit with and the weight of the story still lingering.

Overall, the album is textured with layers of atmospheric world-building and rich storytelling. Lyrics are a songwriter’s medium for exploring themes such as love, resilience, and transformation, which often appear in fantasy as well. Poignant lyrics appear across the album and drive the album’s strong narrative forward with purpose.

I listened to Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars twice, all the way through: first fully focused, and then as background noise while in the middle of a 1,000-page epic fantasy novel. On its own, it is a fully transportive, emotionally rich listening experience that commands attention. Even while reading, it functioned as a vivid backdrop, enhancing the world on the page rather than fading into the background.

Give the album a spin on Spotify or your preferred platform. If you want to read more about the album’s creative process and inspirations, check out our recent interview with Seven Lions, and follow him on Instagram to see when he brings his album tour to a city near you.

Stream Seven Lions – Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars on Spotify:

Seven Lions – Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars – Tracklist:

Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars

Breaking Me

Delusional (with No/Me)

By the Light of the Moon (with Kerli)

A Crown of Seven Suns

From Beyond

So Far Away (with Lilly Ahlberg)

Cold as Snow (with HALIENE)

Past You (with Oaks)

Thrice Woven (Kerli)

Breathe It Out Slowly (with Fiora)

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