THE KOVENANT are progressing on what will be their first studio album in more than two decades, with vocalist and bassist Stian "Nagash" Arnesen revealing eight songs have already been written for the record. The Norwegian band's reunion began simply as a chance to play a handful of festival shows, but renewed chemistry between the members convinced them to push forward with new material, marking a significant step in the group's revival.

Arnesen told Australia's Everblack podcast that with two more tracks the band would have ten songs ready, and they hope to enter the studio by the end of the year. The lineup now includes two new guitarists, one from Mayhem and one from Arcturus, alongside drummer Hellhammer, and Arnesen described the new material as blending elements of all the band's previous albums, including 1998's "Nexus Polaris", 1999's "Animatronic" and 2003's "SETI", while sounding more metal overall.