IN VIRTUE's New Single "Gunslingers Of The New American Desert" Is Less Yee-Haw, More Crunchy Riffs

California progressive power metallers In Virtue will release their long-awaited new album, Age of Legends, on November 21, 2025. Entirely self-released, this is a full-blown concept album that weaves together towering riffs, cinematic textures, and deeply personal storytelling.

Frontman Trey Xavier describes the record as a journey designed for both casual listeners and those seeking something more immersive: "I think they'll be pleasantly surprised, because although it builds on our past releases, it's really the ultimate form of the same beast. The casual listener will be able to enjoy all of it without clocking the story, but anyone who wants to go deeper will be rewarded with the dark journey of a deeply flawed character on a quest to forgive himself by asking the big questions, making mistakes, and doing the hard work.

It's an emotional deep dive, a rollercoaster of textures and colors, but a cohesive trip that doesn't just feel like a series of disconnected singles. A true concept album, the kind you should turn your phone off and light a candle to listen to on your bed with headphones from start to finish. A relatable protagonist who seeks what we all seek, to love himself in spite of himself and his flaws, to know himself deeply, and to win his battle against crushing self-doubt."

Age of Legends tells the story of a reimagined Sisyphus, the tyrannical king of Greek myth condemned to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity. On this album, Sisyphus breaks free from his punishment with the aid of a mysterious figure known as The Catalyst, embarking on a journey of self-forgiveness.

Lyrically, the tale parallels Xavier's own struggles with regret, guilt, and self-acceptance: "On this album, the lyrics are extremely personal. It's a story about a character, but he's just the proxy for my own experiences and ideas… I wrote it as a way of working through my own self-imposed punishment for my own failures and shortcomings, a catharsis to carve a way forward for myself."

Elsewhere, on the crushing "Gunslingers of the New American Desert" — the slowest and heaviest song in the band's catalog — Sisyphus' redemption arc falters as he falls back into the lure of power, echoing the destructive cycles of humanity.

The cover art for Age of Legends was created by Niklas Sundin (ex-Dark Tranquillity), whose iconic work inspired Xavier years earlier: "I commissioned him to create the cover art, which depicts Sisyphus breaking out of his eternal punishment of rolling a boulder up a mountain forever. He is returning to the real world, and the boulder rolls down the hill behind him. Niklas was excellent to work with, and he took the concept I gave him and really brought it into reality with such a unique flavor."