Today, the progressive symphonic metal band SCARDUST are pleased to share their new single “Touch Of Life I – In Your Eyes (Feat. Ross Jennings),” from their highly anticipated new studio album 'Souls,' out July 18th, 2025 via Frontiers Music Srl. The single is accompanied by a special live performance video of the full three-part saga “Touch of Life,”offering fans an exclusive first look at the entire epic suite.
SCARDUST comments on the new single:
“'Touch Of Life' is a three-part musical trilogy that retells the story of Pygmalion - with a twist. It serves as an allegory for the life of an artist, or really anyone striving to become a better version of themselves. The song follows the greatest sculptor on Earth, who cannot find a woman he deems beautiful enough to be worthy of his craft - or his love. Eventually, he chooses to sculpt the most beautiful woman his imagination can conjure. He falls in love with his own creation and begs the gods to bring her to life. This is where the original myth ends - but for us, it’s just the beginning.
“We took the narrative in a new direction. As musical performers, we see ourselves as both the sculptor and the sculpture - constantly shaping ourselves, day by day, in pursuit of unreachable standards”, they continued. “It’s a process full of beauty, but also emotional weight. The full trilogy will be released as a live performance video on YouTube. In addition, the first part will be released as a single from the album.
“We’re especially excited to share this work with the incredible Ross Jennings (Haken), who performed in the original studio version and also joined us live - the very performance from which this video was recorded and filmed.”
Watch the Live Performance Video for "Touch of Life" Below!
SCARDUST’s early years saw their debut EP, ‘Shadow’ (2015), position them as a promising newcomer, while their first full-length LP, ‘Sands of Time’ (2017), cemented them as one of the leading progressive metal bands in Israel. SCARDUST rapidly rose to the top of the local metal scene, selling out shows and opening for the likes of Symphony X, Therion, and Epica. They soon expanded their reach, touring overseas and playing festivals and headline shows in Germany, China, and the UK, while continuing to dominate stages at home.
Despite the challenges of Covid-19, 2020 saw the release of their sophomore album ‘Strangers’ through M-Theory Audio, accompanied by seven self-produced music videos. Described by Dead Rhetoric as “captivating from start to finish,” ‘Strangers’ introduced a unique concept album built on complementary song pairs, earning strong critical and fan acclaim.
2022 started on a high note with the visit of folk star Patty Gurdy, who joined SCARDUST for a live show in Israel and filmed the band’s most viewed video to date, "Concrete Cages." The song, featuring a duet between Noa and Patty, tells a tale of mankind’s loss of connection with nature - culminating in a shocking twist.
That summer, the band headlined multiple shows across Europe, performing to packed arenas at Wacken Open Air and Dong Open Air. Testament’s Steve Di Giorgio, upon hearing the band from backstage, ran out front and watched the entire set, later describing himself as “mesmerized.” The year ended with the release of the dramatic one-shot video "Evolution of the Disney Princess – But She’s METAL," where Noa weaves through a high-energy metal arrangement of beloved Disney Princess songs in just three and a half minutes.
2023 saw SCARDUST release of "Game of Now," a cinematic piece set in a futuristic dystopian live show, play festivals and concerts across Europe and join power metal legends Blind Guardian on tour. The year culminated in the signing of a major multi-album deal with Frontiers Records – heralding the release of the highly anticipated album 'Souls.'
December 2024 saw the release of "My Haven" from 'Souls' followed by "RIP," "Unreachable," and "Dazzling Darkness." With 2024 being taken up with writing and recording 'Souls,' it wasn’t until early 2025 that they were able to announce that Ross Jennings (Haken) was guesting on the album and was to join the band for a headline show resulting in the epic "Touch of Life" video.
SCARDUST comments on the new album by saying:
“’Souls’ is a deep personal journey for us, combining everything from intricate progressive elements to sweeping symphonic passages, anthemic choruses and epic choirs. This album is a milestone for the band. It contains the SCARDUST DNA while experimenting with different writing and composing methods, involving every single musician in the band, resulting in the creation of the next evolution of our sound and pushing the boundaries of what we can express through music.
“Thematically we’ve explored ideas of memory, belonging, loss, and the desire for connection, weaving in influences from different musical worlds, including orchestral, Mediterranean, and even Celtic sounds”, they added. “’Souls’ is our most ambitious album to date, incorporating SCARDUST’s signature technical musicianship, and featuring the Hellscore choir and a string quartet throughout the entire album plus guest appearances from some international top tier musicians like Ross Jennings (Haken), Ally Storch (Subway to Sally), a Turkish orchestra and the TLV orchestra. It’s bold, it’s emotional, and we hope it resonates deeply wherever it is heard.”
Alongside SCARDUST’s rise, Noa Gruman’s metal choir, Hellscore, has been gaining significant recognition. Known for their unique a cappella renditions of metal classics, they have collaborated with renowned artists and bands such as Epica, Therion, Amorphis, and Alestorm. Hellscore is also an integral part of SCARDUST’s sound, performing on all their albums and live shows.
Noa Gruman is also much in demand as a vocalist and the already-impressive list of her recent guest vocal appearances includes albums by Amorphis, Ayreon, Therion, Gloryhammer, Nino Helfrich and Orphaned Land.
If you are looking for the most fresh and innovative progressive album, ‘Souls’ is set to be a milestone for the genre.
SCARDUST are:
Noa Gruman – Vocals
Gal Gabriel Israel – Guitar
Aaron Friedland – Keyboards
Orr Didi – Bass
Yoav Weinberg – Drums