Epic Belgian 3 piece BRUTUS can today announce details of their hugely anticipated forthcoming 2nd album ‘Nest’, set for release on March 29th through Hassle Records in Europe and through Sargent House in the ROTW. The record release is preceded by the first single/video ‘War’ which was shot on the last day of the recordings of ‘Nest’ in Rain City Recorders, Vancouver Canada, is out now and you can watch the video below!
To describe the last two years as a whirlwind for BRUTUS is something of an understatement. Having signed to Hassle Records, 2017 saw the release of their debut album, Burst, which set them on a path of award nominations and ‘album of the year’ accolades, as well as picking up huge fans from Lars Ulrich of Metallica to Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro. In the last 12 or so months, they have toured with Sargent House label mates Chelsea Wolfe and Russian Circles, BRUTUS also hit the road as main support to Thrice through Europe. Taking time out from the live circuit, the trio headed to Vancouver to record their second album, once again returning to Jesse Gander (Japandroids, White Lung, Baptists) at his Rain City Recorders studio in September 2018. The resulting 11 tracks form BRUTUS’s new album, ‘Nest’.
By their own admission, the formative sound of the band was shaped by their physical limitations; drummer Stefanie Mannaerts adopted vocal duties initially out of necessity. Having fully embraced her role as both vocalist and drummer, the full range of Stefanie’s multiple talents is showcased on ‘Nest’. The abrasive urgency of her emotive vocals is mirrored in the tribalistic drumming, just as tender whispers echo the gentle roll of percussion elsewhere. Co-conspirators Stijn Vanhoegaerden (guitar) and Peter Mulders (bass) complete the magic circle with pervasive riffs, dynamic bass lines, and a fine balance between uneasy restraint and unrepentant aggression. BRUTUS throws a net over post-rock, hardcore, metal and pop, gathering defining facets of each into their unique sound.
A diverse mix of influences penetrated the BRUTUS bubble, the biggest of which was the people around them on the journey to the creation of ‘Nest’. Be it the bands they toured with, their family at home, or indeed their own bandmates – human interaction is the nucleus of the album. However, additional sources of creative inspiration peppered their outlook; fromRadiohead to Burial, from ‘Twin Peaks’ to Townes Van Zandt.
The path BRUTUS has taken has been meticulously mapped out on ‘Nest’. All those glorious highs and euphoric moments are present – highlighted in magnificent technicolour no less. Burrowed in amongst those triumphs are moments of reflection; the choices they have made in pursuit of their goals and the impact those choices have had on both themselves and those they have left behind in their nest. The arc of the album charts the friction between the band’s forward motion and their desire to maintain a connection to those back at home. It’s a timeline of invincibility and doubt, of taking risks and letting go; a chronology of what they are and what they’ve done.
Bound by a thread that was intangible to others, their shared experiences, both good and bad; ‘Nest’ is the sound of a band who know how to use the strength of their bond to full effect, to use every part of themselves as an additional tool for conveying their message: take care of those in your own nest. BRUTUS find their places of comfort to be very different to the ones previously held dear; the nest they started out with is not quite the same one as they stand in today.
‘Nest’ is released on March 29th and is available to preorder now on limited 12″ vinyl and CD, including EU web-store exclusive LP variant with limited 7″. Pre orders available – HERE
All current and announced BRUTUS live dates below:
APR
28 Münster, DE @ Sputnik Cafe
29 Paris, FR @ Point Ephémère
MAY
01 Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
02 Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits de Botanique @ Rotonde
04 Bristol, UK @ Exchange
05 Leeds, UK @ Hyde Park Book Club
06 Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast
08 London, UK @ Boston Music Room
13 Köln, DE @ MTC
14 Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
15 Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
16 Berlin, DE @ Maze
18 Dresden, DE @ Scheune
20 Munich, DE @ Storm
22 Frankfurt, DE @ Nachtleben
24 Arlon, BE @ L’entrepot
25 Charleroi, BE @ Eden
26 Hasselt, BE @ Muziekodroom
29 Ghent, BE @ Handelsbeurs
30 Antwerp, BE @ Trix
JUNE
23 Clisson, FR @ Hellfest