Manchester Orchestra yesterday announced their first full band shows in over a year and today shared the heavy, slow-burning new song “Never Ending,” their contribution to the Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack, executive produced by Tyler Bates (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Watchmen,” “John Wick”). “When Tyler reached out about wanting to include us in the soundtrack for this epic comic, this song immediately came to mind,” explains Andy Hull, who also voiced the character of Lex Luthor in “Sonic Metalverse,” the animated showcase for DC Comics’ Dark Nights: Death Metal series. “We spent some time with him adding flourishes to the original version and we were really thrilled with how well it turned out.” The Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack will be out digitally on June 18th via Loma Vista Recordings (physical LPs out July 16th) and is available for preorder (hi-res images/artwork for Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack available HERE).
The Atlanta-based band’s upcoming shows include a grand return to New York City playing the historic Hammerstein Ballroom on October 21st, their 11-year strong hometown Thanksgiving celebration The Stuffing at the Fox Theatre on November 19th, and their first announced show of 2022 at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium on February 26th. Tickets go on-sale to the public this Thursday, June 10th, HERE (see below for initial routing).
Manchester Orchestra recently released “Bed Head (Acoustic),” a stunning, stripped-back rendition of their sweeping, AAA radio Top 5 and Alternative radio Top 25 song from the band’s critically acclaimed new album The Million Masks of God (Loma Vista Recordings). The band—Hull, Robert McDowell, Tim Very, and Andy Prince, together with touring member Brooks Tipton—has also performed a blistering rendition of “Bed Head” for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert #PlayAtHome series as well as three songs on CBS This Morning: Saturday Sessions, while also earning career-high praise from outlets like Stereogum, NPR Music (All Songs Considered), Uproxx, SPIN, American Songwriter, and more, in addition to guesting on Comedy Bang Bang’s12th anniversary special.
Produced by Manchester Orchestra’s lead songwriting duo of Hull and McDowell, Catherine Marks (PJ Harvey, The Killers) and Ethan Gruska (Phoebe Bridgers), The Million Masks Of God presents an even grander scale of the epic and re-focused approach to record-making that the band has forged in recent years. Their sixth album finds the band relentlessly pushing themselves to create a work that breaks beyond the scope and limits of every previous release in an effort to create their most towering achievement to date, all while sorting through the aftermath of a devastating loss.
Manchester Orchestra approached Masks with the intention of creating tightly-woven “movie albums” designed to be listened to in sequence and in a single sitting, with the songs working together to tell a bold, long-form narrative. The album explores the loose story of a man’s encounter with the angel of death as he’s shown various scenes from his life in a snapshot-style assemblage. Some moments he witnesses are good, some are bad, some difficult, some commendable—in other words, they depict an entirely normal life. Ultimately, The Million Masks of God is a compelling, heady, and profound look at the impact a person’s life has on others.
Manchester Orchestra hi-res images, artwork, bio HERE.
Manchester Orchestra Tour Dates:
10/21/21 – New York, NY – The Hammerstein Ballroom
11/19/21 – Atlanta GA – Manchester Orchestra’s The Stuffing at Fox Theatre
02/26/22- Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
About the Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack:
Just as the lauded DC Comics “Dark Nights: Death Metal” series isn’t the typical superhero storyline, this musical counterpart isn’t the typical superhero soundtrack. Acclaimed composer Bates here unites an array of artists across various genres—including HEALTH, Chelsea Wolfe, Grey Daze, Denzel Curry, and Manchester Orchestra—forming his own musical super crew to create a first-of-its kind companion piece of original music, which adds further dimension to the acclaimed series from Greg Capullo and Scott Snyder through a multimedia experience including custom limited edition comics, videos, and more.
All artists involved took a hands-on approach with Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack, contributing songs—and in the case of a few, collaborating together for the first time—inspired by the text that depicts a hellish Earth twisted beyond recognition, wherein the Justice League is at the mercy of the Dark Multiverse and a diabolical Batman Who Laughs.
“Never Ending” follows previous Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack singles: Denzel Curry’s “Bad Luck,” Chelsea Wolfe’s “Diana,” Maria Brink’s “Meet Me In The Fire (Feat. Andy Biersack),” and Mastodon’s “Forged By Neron.” The soundtrack is available for pre-order on digital download, CD, and 2xLP-with exclusive Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman vinyl variant covers, 11 limited edition character trading cards, and more HERE.
Read more about the Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack at the official bio HERE.