German musician and producer Michael “Ristridi” Wöß has released “God Will Avenge Us” the first single from his upcoming power metal album, Ride The Storm. Blending melodic clean vocals with aggressive harsh passages, the track sets a dark and powerful tone for the new record, which will be released in full on August 21st, 2026.
The History and Meaning Behind the Track
“God Will Avenge Us” centers on the historical figure of Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Betrayed by the church, the wealthy and influential order was falsely accused, condemned, and ultimately wiped out, with de Molay being burned alive in Paris.
The song draws upon the persisting legend that, with his final breath, de Molay cursed those who betrayed him. Lyricist and clean vocalist Anti, who wrote the words for the track, explains his connection to the song:
“A song that I had wanted to write for a long, long time. It’s about Jacques de Molay, the last of the Templars. Betrayed by the church after having grown too influential, rich and powerful, his order was falsely accused, condemned and extinguished in the Middle Ages, culminating in him and others being burnt alive in Paris. Legends – long proven false, but nevertheless powerful – tell of the curse he uttered with his last words to bring down the wrath of God on those who wronged him and his faithful order. I was so thankful to have Alex spitting those hateful words out with the breath of a dying man and I like to think everyone listening to this song gets the same goosebumps I did.”
Vocal Contrast and Production
To accurately convey the narrative of the single, the band uses a stark vocal contrast. Anti handles the clean vocals and melodies, while Alex Meyer (Dark Solstice) delivers the harsh vocals, specifically representing the dying curse of de Molay.
All music, instruments, and orchestrations for the single and the upcoming album were written and performed by Ristridi. He also handled the recording, production, mixing, and mastering at Omega Music Production.
About the Upcoming Album: Ride The Storm
“God Will Avenge Us” serves as the introduction to Ride The Storm. Created by Ristridi alongside Anti (Don’t Drop The Sword) and Alex Meyer, the album is built on a classic heavy and power metal foundation, taking inspiration from bands like Demons & Wizards, Blind Guardian, and Symphony X.
Instead of standard fantasy escapism, the album uses its storytelling to explore human themes like freedom, loyalty, and the necessity of adaptation during difficult times.#
Tracklist for Ride The Storm:
- Ride The Storm
- To Be Free
- Thy Fate Forged In Vengeance
- Silver And Steel
- King Under Mountain
- By Oath And Chain
- Clarity
- God Will Avenge Us
Listen and Pre-Save
Ride The Storm will be released independently on August 21st, 2026.
Follow Ristridi:
- Spotify: Listen here
- YouTube: youtube.com/ristridi
- Instagram: instagram.com/ristridi
- Facebook: facebook.com/ristridi