The Primals are quite unlike any video game band or live show you’ve ever seen. You may have been to emotive piano concerts or full orchestra performances of your favourite gaming soundtracks, but now imagine that music with a feverish, heavy metal spin.

That’s exactly what The Primals do – taking the music from mega-MMORPG Final Fantasy 14 and truly making it their own. Here’s what we mean:

The Primals become even more fascinating when you look into the members of the band. Not only do they include Final Fantasy 14‘s sound director Masayoshi Soken on guitar and vocals, but also the game’s localisation director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox on lead vocals. It’s an unlikely grouping but nevertheless works brilliantly.

Now, after shows at last year’s Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festivals in the US, Europe and Japan, the band has announced the release of their forthcoming self-titled debut album. The 18-track LP includes the single ‘Rise’ as well as various other covers of Final Fantasy 14 music, such as ‘Through the Maelstrom’ and ‘Metal – Brute Justice Mode’.

‘The Primals’ will be available on May 16th and can be pre-ordered now from the Square Enix Store.

Additionally, the band revealed a number of dates for their upcoming tour. Unfortunately, the shows will only be taking place in Japan and South Korea at this stage, but hopefully, the tour will come to the west eventually. Perhaps at the next round of Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festivals in 2018/19?