Genre-bending legends earthtone9 release third single ‘Black Swan Roulette’
13th June 2024Renowned British metal legends earthtone9 have unveiled their epic new single, ‘Black Swan Roulette’. This powerhouse track is the third teaser from their eagerly awaited album, In Resonance Nexus, set for release on 21st June via Candlelight / Spinefarm.
Stream here: earthtone9.lnk.to/BlackSwanRoulettePre-order In Resonance Nexus here: https://earthtone9.lnk.to/InResonanceNexus
Comments vocalist Karl Middleton on the new single, “This feels like a different kind of heaviness to the previous singles. It’s much more expansive and serpentine in structure and it winds its path in a less direct way. But the peaks and troughs carry a weight we absolutely love.”
earthtone9 are celebrated by those in the know as one of the most innovative, intelligent, and creatively astute bands in the annals of British metal history. Rising to prominence in the late ’90s amidst the burgeoning nu-metal scene, their sophisticated musicality and cerebral approach set them apart as a truly unique and groundbreaking force from the outset. Releasing an album annually between 1998 and 2000, starting with the meticulously crafted debut, Lo-def(inition) Discord, and culminating in the monumental Arc’tan’gent in 2000 – their prolific output matched the sheer brilliance of their music.
After splitting in 2002 the band made a surprise return in 2013 with the crowdfunded album, IV. Following this they made only occasional appearances in the live arena (including at the ArcTanGent Festival, which purloined its name from their third album!), before once again seeming to disappear on hiatus.
Now, 11 years on from their last record, they present In Resonance Nexus, a thrilling work of brains and muscle that not only stokes a fire, but sees the band’s core members – vocalist Karl Middleton and guitarists Owen Packard and Joe Roberts – rediscovering and reconnecting with what makes them so special. In Resonance Nexus is the heaviest, fiercest, most heightened record they have ever made; a startling combination of almost feral intensity and the latter-day songwriting chops they displayed on the IV album.
“In Resonance Nexus, as a title, is saying that we’ve found the core and the essence of the band again,” says Karl. “We were digging deep to find common musical ground, and between Joe and Owen, and I, it really felt like that there was a resonance there. It feels like we’ve landed on a really legitimate, 21st century version of the band. We were asking, ‘Why are we doing this?’ and having a very authentic answer.”
Across the 10 featured tracks the band’s signature sound is present and correct but now expanded with touches of everything from doom, to black metal, to shoegaze and deathcore.
Gathering together almost 40 songs before carefully choosing what should make the album, In Resonance Nexus is a record that’s been slowly and patiently crafted and carved out by artists prepared to throw away anything that didn’t quite have the desired effect. The results – with drum duties taken on in the studio by Bullet For My Valentine’s Jason Bowld – are a collection where every dynamic, moment of heaviness, thoughtful passage and element of aggression is perfectly placed.
The album was produced by British production master Lewis Johns at The Ranch in Southampton, a collaboration that brought the band’s vision further to life.
“Lewis is unbelievable, super creative, super enthusiastic,” says Karl. “We were attracted to the stuff he’s done with bands like Employed To Serve, Svalbard and Rolo Tomassi. He has a style, but you can also tell in everything he does that he enhances the vision of the band, rather than just imposing his thing. He was incredible in bringing the intensity and drive back into earthtone9.”
Completing the creative team is Colin Marks of Rain Song Design who created the stunning album art that runs throughout the release.
More than anything, In Resonance Nexus represents the idea that some things are just too good and too special to lie perpetually dormant. With something as pure as earthtone9, that desire to create never truly leaves you. Eventually, even after a decade or more, it wants to come out again.
“For me, this album is about persistence in heart and knowing that you can pursue stuff and do it to a high standard at any point in time,” says Karl. “It’s more vital and urgent – like the absolute distillation of what we do. This feels like a definitive statement.”
Don’t call it a comeback – In Resonance Nexus is simply the next chapter in earthtone9’s story. One that’s worth the decade wait.
Catch earthtone9 live:
17 Aug: UK, Arctangent Festival 2024
earthtone9 are:
Karl Middleton – Vocals
Owen Packard – Guitars
Joe Roberts – Guitars/Vocals
Neil Kingsbury – Bass
Jay Walsh – Drums
