God of Angels Trust
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = God of Angels Trust
| type = studio
| artist = Volbeat
| cover = Volbeat - God of Angels Trust.png
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2025|6|6|df=y}}
| recorded = October–November 2024
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 44:10
| label =
| producer =
| prev_title = Servant of the Mind
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Singles
| name = God of Angels Trust
| type = studio
| single1 = By a Monster's Hand
| single1date = 6 March 2025
| single2 = In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan's Spawn in a Dying World of Doom
| single2date = 4 April 2025
| single3 = Time Will Heal
| single3date = 15 May 2025
}}
}}
God of Angels Trust is the ninth studio album by Danish rock band Volbeat. It was released on 6 June 2025 through Vertigo Records, Republic Records, and Universal Records. The album was preceded by the lead single "By a Monster's Hand" on 7 March 2025. It marks their first studio album following the departure of guitarist Rob Caggiano in June 2023.
Background and recording
In June 2023, guitarist Rob Caggiano left the band after ten years, leaving the band as a trio.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rockhard.de/news/volbeat-god-of-angels-trust-album-angekuendigt-und-by-a-monsters-hand-single-im-video|title=Volbeat - God of Angels Trust-Album angekündigt und 'By A Monster's Hand'-Single im Video|last=Bauer|first=Simon|magazine=Rock Hard|language=de|date=6 March 2025|access-date=7 March 2025}} Poulsen then started writing on songs a year later, in the summer of 2024, following a year-long break to recover from throat surgery as well as his involvement with the band Asinhell. He would work on new material with drummer Jon Larsen and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen for three weeks and arrange half of the album in just under a month. In fall 2024, the band entered the recording studio with longtime-producer Jacob Hansen. Poulsen's desire to work as quickly as possible followed through during the recording process, wanting to capture an "urgent and immediate" sound with "as few takes possible". The band played live in the studio and finished recording after only 13 days,{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/volbeat-announces-new-album-god-of-angels-trust-shares-by-a-monsters-hand-single|title=Volbeat Announces New Album God Of Angels Trust, Shares 'By A Monster's Hand' Single|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=6 March 2025|access-date=7 March 2025}} making it the fastest record the band has ever created.{{cite magazine|url=https://metalinjection.net/news/volbeat-announce-new-album-gods-of-angels-trust-new-single-by-a-monsters-hand-and-a-tour|title=Volbeat Announce New Album, Gods of Angels Trust, New Single, "By A Monster's Hand" And A Tour|last=Ambrosio|first=Isabella|magazine=Metal Injection|date=6 March 2025|access-date=7 March 2025}}
On God of Angels Trust, Volbeat intended to "abandon all songwriting rules" and break away from conventions to pursue new creative paths. Lead singer Michael Poulsen took a "more unconventional approach" to writing in order to break away from rules and structures.{{cite web|url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2025/03/06/volbeat-announce-god-of-angels-trust-drop-new-single-by-a-monsters-hand/|title=Volbeat Announce God of Angels Trust, Drop New Single "By A Monster's Hand"|last=Keenan|first=Hesher|website=Metal Sucks|date=6 March 2025|access-date=7 March 2025}} As a result, the album came out "forceful" with a "powerful combination" of catchy melodies and fresh energy.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.metal-hammer.de/volbeat-albumankuendigung-und-neue-single-2333615/|title=Volbeat: Albumankündigung und neue Single|magazine=Metal Hammer|language=de|date=6 March 2025|access-date=7 March 2025}}
Promotion
The album was announced on 6 March 2025 alongside the release of the lead single "By a Monster's Hand" which showcases "driving guitars, a mid-paced intensity and anthemic vocal command" by Poulsen. Along with the news, Volbeat unveiled the "Greatest of All Tours Worldwide", a 70-date spanning world tour from 7 June to 13 November 2025. Tour dates in Canada consist of a co-headlining run with Three Days Grace and Wage War, followed by a series of headlining dates in the United States with special guests Halestorm and The Ghost Inside as well as Europe and the United Kingdom with special guests Bush and Gel.{{cite web|url=https://knotfest.com/blogs/news/volbeat-announce-new-album-god-of-angels-trust|title=Volbeat announce new album, God of Angels Trust|last=Gonzalez|first=Ramon|website=Knotfest|date=6 March 2025|access-date=7 March 2025}} On 4 April 2025, the band released the album's second single, "In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan's Spawn in a Dying World of Doom".{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/volbeat-shares-new-single-in-the-barn-of-the-goat-giving-birth-to-satans-spawn-in-a-dying-world-of-doom#google_vignette|title=Volbeat Shares New Single 'In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan's Spawn in a Dying World of Doom'|work=Blabbermouth.net|date=4 April 2025|access-date=6 June 2025}} The third single, "Time Will Heal", was released on 16 May 2025.{{cite magazine|first=Gregory|last=Adams|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-volbeats-tender-new-rocker-time-will-heal/|title=Hear Volbeat's tender new rocker "Time Will Heal"|magazine=Revolver|date=16 May 2025|access-date=6 June 2025}}
Reception
{{Music ratings
| ADM =
| MC =
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|author=TiVo Staff|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/god-of-angels-trust-mw0004484715#review|title=God of Angels Trust Review|work=AllMusic|access-date=29 June 2025}}
| rev2 = Blabbermouth.net
| rev2score = 8.5/10{{cite web|first=Dom|last=Lawson|url=https://blabbermouth.net/reviews/god-of-angels-trust|title=Volbeat – God of Angels Trust|work=Blabbermouth.net|date=6 June 2025|access-date=6 June 2025}}
| rev3 = Distorted Sound
| rev4 = Classic Rock
| rev4score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|first=Dave|last=Everley|url=https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/volbeat-god-of-angels-trust|title="There’s a lot less ‘James Hetfield strangling a goat’ in the singing department." New Volbeat album God Of Angels Trust won't surprise you, but it will get you banging that head|magazine=Classic Rock|date=2 June 2025|access-date=6 June 2025}}
| rev5 = Kerrang!
| rev5score = 3/5{{cite magazine|first=Steve|last=Beebee|url=https://www.kerrang.com/album-review-volbeat-god-of-angels-trust|title=Album review: Volbeat – God Of Angels Trust|magazine=Kerrang!|date=3 June 2025|access-date=6 June 2025}}
}}
Dom Lawson of Blabbermouth.net called it "the heaviest and wildest Volbeat album to date." Tim Bolitho-Jones of Distorted Sound described it as being "slightly darker than its predecessors...[with themes focusing on] Satanic rites and serial killers [rather] than prohibition-era gangsters" and wrote "If you loved their last few releases and want more rump-shaking boogie metal to play...you’ll love this." Dave Everley of Classic Rock wrote, "God Of Angels Trust is a good album. Sometimes it’s a great one. But ultimately it’s another Volbeat album, nothing less but nothing more either."
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = God of Angels Trust track listing
| all_lyrics = Michael Poulsen
| title1 = Devils Are Awake
| music1 = {{hlist|Poulsen|Jon Larsen}}
| length1 = 4:54
| title2 = By a Monster's Hand
| music2 = Poulsen
| length2 = 3:42
| title3 = Acid Rain
| music3 = Poulsen
| length3 = 4:44
| title4 = Demonic Depression
| music4 = Poulsen
| length4 = 3:58
| title5 = In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan's Spawn in a Dying World of Doom
| music5 = Poulsen
| length5 = 4:18
| title6 = Time Will Heal
| music6 = Poulsen
| length6 = 4:45
| title7 = Better Be Fueled Than Tamed
| music7 = {{hlist|Poulsen|Kaspar Boye Larsen}}
| length7 = 4:01
| title8 = At the End of the Sirens
| music8 = Poulsen
| length8 = 5:14
| title9 = Lonely Fields
| music9 = {{hlist|Poulsen|J. Larsen|K. Larsen}}
| length9 = 4:52
| title10 = Enlighten the Disorder (By a Monster's Hand Part 2)
| music10 = Poulsen
| length10 = 3:42
| total_length = 44:10
}}
Personnel
=Volbeat=
- Michael Poulsen – vocals, guitar, production
- Kaspar Boye Larsen – bass guitar
- Jon Larsen – drums
=Additional contributors=
- Jacob Hansen – production, mastering, mixing
- Tue Bayer – engineering
- Flemming C. Lund – guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10)
- Mia Maja – background vocals (tracks 3, 4, 6, 9)
- Martin Pagaard Wolff – guitar (tracks 3, 5), acoustic guitar (3)