Announced at a Press Conference this Wednesday in Berlin, though, the info leaked out last friday night, what many have speculated since they signed on to do one gig at the Rock In Rio Festival in September 2015 (site of their largest audience ever and ever for a paying concert, in 1991 at 198,000) a-ha have been working on a new album titled "cast in steel" due out September 4th.

The press conference featured all members, displaying the new album artwork, which harks back to the original color schemes used for "Take On Me" singles pressings. The members discussed the new album at length, which is not finished but the groundwork is laid and some tracks already down. a-ha displayed alot of humor about them "coming back" 5 years later, and with a their first new album in 6 years since 2009's Top 10 album "Foot of the Mountain", the members since then have released music, Morten Harket lead singer has had 2 new albums, while Pal Savoy the main writer has only had one song out since, he joked about that. There have been many clues and hints on a-ha's twitter page and Facebook page that something was up, they signed on last november for this years Rock in Rio, it being that festivals 30th anniversary and also the 30th Anniversary of "Take On Me" going number one in 24 countries. Many fans had hoped this was what was going to happen, but as Pal Savoy explained it happened very naturally. He had about 50 songs written and he was in a studio and rang up Morten Harket and the thought was working together, however Magne "mags" Furuholmen got wind of them working togetether and figured he would join in, since doing a-ha with 2 members was unwise.

Plans have also been put into place by WB rhino records to reissue the albums "Stay On These Roads" "East of the Sun West of the Moon" and "Memorial Beach" all in DELUXE FASHION asking fans for their input on what they want to see included. Also their first album "Hunting High and Low" will get a new 3 disc issue with even more tracks and a DVD of a 1986 gig. A dvd will also be issued of their record breaking 1991 show in RIO to 198,000 the first time on DVD ever.

The New Record will be issued through Universal Records worldwide on Sept 4th, called "Cast In Steel" not many details were shared, only that Alan Tarney their producer on albums 1-3 had heard and been in on some sessions with them. a-ha has also booked a 16 date tour of Germany and Switzerland in April 2016, and will be adding shows for all of 2016 worldwide. Members assure that this tour IS NOT what the last tour was, nothing but HITS from opening to close, these shows will feature MANY new songs, later songs, and songs often never played on tours.as a-ha said "we did the hits tour" this IS NOT about being nostalgia. a-ha also stresses the agreement is 2 years, the new album (their 10th) and the 2016 tour. Nothing else is planned as ALL have other things to focus on, it seems a-ha found a way to just leave and come back, and how it refreshes itself.

I saw this at MJJC about a week ago. I wondered when you were going to post it.

Really looking forward to their return. I thought it would have been a few more years away.

Looking forward to the re-issues too, but my fear is they will pad them out with live cuts. On the facebook feedback pages I don't get why so many people are calling for live versions as opposed to outtakes and demos.

SquirrelMeat said:

Really looking forward to their return. I thought it would have been a few more years away.

Looking forward to the re-issues too, but my fear is they will pad them out with live cuts. On the facebook feedback pages I don't get why so many people are calling for live versions as opposed to outtakes and demos.

Yeah i agree on that, I did really enjoy the 2 reissues that were out for "Hunting" and "Scoundrel" and if go on itunes there are actually more bonus cuts not sure why they were omitted from the physical ones. There were a bit more live cuts on Scoundrel and going off what the band has said, "they were not a good live act early on and did not find themselves till the East of the Sun tour" now they are a really strong live act. So my hope is the band will fit demos on there, I know Pal really likes demos and wants that stuff out, he even said that he hopes one day they can release the real versions of most of the cuts on "Foot of the Mountain" i really would wanna hear what they first were thinking it was gonna sound like. That album as good as it was, was not easy to make at all, i think in turn alot of the issues between the childhood friends Pal and Magne erupted and Morten was left as the one to say "lets quit this now". Which a-ha has done before, after "Memorial Beach they needed to stop and that lay off to me was vital to what they became when they came back, to me the strongest band of their day.

As for the new record I am pretty sure it will be top notch, as they say, the only reason they agreed to do RIO was there was a hint of doing new stuff, they did not want to do the festival and play a hits set, which i know many people dont get, but bands wanna play something new. I am not really shocked it was basically a 5 year lay off, I am surprised they are mounting a 2016 international tour for the record. I think the timing is age related though all are in good health, even Mags who has battled a heart issue, lead singer Morten Harket will turn 56 when the record is released and the other 2 are two years younger, mounting WORLD tours in your later 50's near 60 is a drain, the "ending on a high note" tour hit around 90 dates but literally played everywhere but Australia. So though other bands like the Stones etc.. do tours still though not very often, they also are not really doing new material, they are just going on Nostalgia runs.

lastdecember said:

SquirrelMeat said:

Really looking forward to their return. I thought it would have been a few more years away.

Looking forward to the re-issues too, but my fear is they will pad them out with live cuts. On the facebook feedback pages I don't get why so many people are calling for live versions as opposed to outtakes and demos.

Yeah i agree on that, I did really enjoy the 2 reissues that were out for "Hunting" and "Scoundrel" and if go on itunes there are actually more bonus cuts not sure why they were omitted from the physical ones. There were a bit more live cuts on Scoundrel and going off what the band has said, "they were not a good live act early on and did not find themselves till the East of the Sun tour" now they are a really strong live act. So my hope is the band will fit demos on there, I know Pal really likes demos and wants that stuff out, he even said that he hopes one day they can release the real versions of most of the cuts on "Foot of the Mountain" i really would wanna hear what they first were thinking it was gonna sound like. That album as good as it was, was not easy to make at all, i think in turn alot of the issues between the childhood friends Pal and Magne erupted and Morten was left as the one to say "lets quit this now". Which a-ha has done before, after "Memorial Beach they needed to stop and that lay off to me was vital to what they became when they came back, to me the strongest band of their day.

As for the new record I am pretty sure it will be top notch, as they say, the only reason they agreed to do RIO was there was a hint of doing new stuff, they did not want to do the festival and play a hits set, which i know many people dont get, but bands wanna play something new. I am not really shocked it was basically a 5 year lay off, I am surprised they are mounting a 2016 international tour for the record. I think the timing is age related though all are in good health, even Mags who has battled a heart issue, lead singer Morten Harket will turn 56 when the record is released and the other 2 are two years younger, mounting WORLD tours in your later 50's near 60 is a drain, the "ending on a high note" tour hit around 90 dates but literally played everywhere but Australia. So though other bands like the Stones etc.. do tours still though not very often, they also are not really doing new material, they are just going on Nostalgia runs.

Can't wait. From the comments, it sounds like the new album continues the sound from Foot of the Mountain. Thats cool, but I'm acutally hoping they might go a bit darker.

I view Foot as their modern return to sounds and influences of the first album. Based on that, I want the new album to be a new take on what they were trying to capture on Scoundrel Days.

I'm really glad they are saying that the live set up will mix up the hits. I was fortunate to go to the end of the last tour and to the one off show of the full play of the first two albums. It was great, but I want them to really dig into the back catalogue, and it sounds like they will.

My fingers are double crossed for Out of Blue Comes Green, Birthright, Waiting For Her, Nothing Is Keeping Me Here, Rolling Thunder, You Wanted More, The Summers of our Youth, You'll never get over me, Seemingly Non Stop July. Drool.....

SquirrelMeat said:

lastdecember said:

Yeah i agree on that, I did really enjoy the 2 reissues that were out for "Hunting" and "Scoundrel" and if go on itunes there are actually more bonus cuts not sure why they were omitted from the physical ones. There were a bit more live cuts on Scoundrel and going off what the band has said, "they were not a good live act early on and did not find themselves till the East of the Sun tour" now they are a really strong live act. So my hope is the band will fit demos on there, I know Pal really likes demos and wants that stuff out, he even said that he hopes one day they can release the real versions of most of the cuts on "Foot of the Mountain" i really would wanna hear what they first were thinking it was gonna sound like. That album as good as it was, was not easy to make at all, i think in turn alot of the issues between the childhood friends Pal and Magne erupted and Morten was left as the one to say "lets quit this now". Which a-ha has done before, after "Memorial Beach they needed to stop and that lay off to me was vital to what they became when they came back, to me the strongest band of their day.

As for the new record I am pretty sure it will be top notch, as they say, the only reason they agreed to do RIO was there was a hint of doing new stuff, they did not want to do the festival and play a hits set, which i know many people dont get, but bands wanna play something new. I am not really shocked it was basically a 5 year lay off, I am surprised they are mounting a 2016 international tour for the record. I think the timing is age related though all are in good health, even Mags who has battled a heart issue, lead singer Morten Harket will turn 56 when the record is released and the other 2 are two years younger, mounting WORLD tours in your later 50's near 60 is a drain, the "ending on a high note" tour hit around 90 dates but literally played everywhere but Australia. So though other bands like the Stones etc.. do tours still though not very often, they also are not really doing new material, they are just going on Nostalgia runs.

Can't wait. From the comments, it sounds like the new album continues the sound from Foot of the Mountain. Thats cool, but I'm acutally hoping they might go a bit darker.

I view Foot as their modern return to sounds and influences of the first album. Based on that, I want the new album to be a new take on what they were trying to capture on Scoundrel Days.

I'm really glad they are saying that the live set up will mix up the hits. I was fortunate to go to the end of the last tour and to the one off show of the full play of the first two albums. It was great, but I want them to really dig into the back catalogue, and it sounds like they will.

My fingers are double crossed for Out of Blue Comes Green, Birthright, Waiting For Her, Nothing Is Keeping Me Here, Rolling Thunder, You Wanted More, The Summers of our Youth, You'll never get over me, Seemingly Non Stop July. Drool.....

Yeah i do think since the catalog is being reissued they are going to dig into more this time touring, knowing how they are very "hard nosed" as Morten said, its not going to be a HITS tour, you may hear a few but don't expect anything like they did last tour, where every song played was a hit single.

It is funny that during the press conference that Paul spoke of Alan Tarney and working with him, and in their book "Swing of the Things" Paul is very critical of Alan of not supporting them in growing when they were doing the "Stay On These Roads" the band wanted someone new but WB wanted another "Take On Me" like song, a-ha made the album mostly with no producer and held out for someone WB told the band "No one wants to work with you so you are getting Alan Back" Paul said the label was lieing but they had no time left and a deadline so Alan Tarney produced the album and Paul said it hurt because he was stuck with the old mindset, so it is odd that PAUL is the one who brought him in on this one, whether or not anything makes the album it isnt known yet, but still odd that he is there.

Another interview with the band came out recently and Paul was saying he never thought this was over, he was the one that voted NO on the break, where Magne wanted to stop, it seems more and more and reading into their work and history that Magne and Paul have always had the main rift in the band all the years, even though they formed it together.