Only two months have passed since the release of their seventh record Darkfighter, but Rival Sons already have new music to share. On October 20, the gritty California-based outfit will drop their companion album, Lightbringer, produced by Dave Cobb.
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“When you do two albums back-to-back like this, there are a lot of things to think about,” guitarist Scott Holiday says in a statement. “The first record has to pack enough of a punch and tell enough of a story for the second half to have an even bigger impact. We balanced them out with energy and meaning, but the follow-up always needed to deliver a bigger blow. I think Lightbringer provides this.”
Fans can expect a continuation of the sonic evolution showcased in Darkfighter, which takes an intensive look at the complexities of life in America through the lens of a global pandemic.
“Darkfighter is a new Rival Sons, and Lightbringer is the clear definition of what we are now,” vocalist Jay Buchanan adds. “We broke ground on Lightbringer, but Lightbringer is a step beyond the personal innovation and exploration. It goes a little further. We really took everything into our own hands and pushed to see how far we could go. It was a self-exploration to see who we were and who we’ll be now. We had more friction and compromise than ever, because we isolated the bare essence of where we needed to go—and then we went there.”
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The heavy subject matter at the heart of Lightbringer is temporarily lifted on their latest single, “Sweet Life.” Released on Friday (August 18), the groovy cut offers an energizing escape from every day worries.
“It’s the most old-school Rival Sons song on either of these two records,” explains Buchanan. “It has all of the early elements of what Rival Sons is and was. It was born out of my love mid-sixties rock like The Animals, The Kinks, and the bands I was raised on. It’s a bit of a break from all of the heavy subject matter too; it’s a barnburner.”
Rival Sons are currently on the road supporting The Smashing Pumpkins‘ ongoing North American tour. In October, they’ll head overseas for a stretch of international dates that continue through the end of November. You can see a complete list of upcoming performances and ticketing options at the band’s official website.
Listen to Rival Sons’ new single “Sweet Life” below.
(Photo by Patrik Skoglöw, Courtesy of Elektra Records)
