The Horrors have returned with a new line-up, a gothic new single and details of their sixth album called ‘Night Life’.
New song ‘The Silence That Remains’ marks the start of the next era for the band, as they return with a new arrangement centred around the duo of vocalist Faris Badwan and bassist Rhys Webb.
The track is a fittingly eerie release for October, opening with unsettling droning before the entrance of a grungy bass guitar and skittering drums.
The new song features on the group’s next album ‘Night Life’ (available to pre-order/ pre-save here), out March 21 via Fiction Records.
Listen to ‘The Silence That Remains’ below.
“’The Silence that Remains’ is a 3am insomnia walk through the city, retracing our steps and putting the past to bed,” shared the band in a press statement. “Our new chapter is beginning and we’re looking forward to taking you with us. The Horrors are never-ending.”
The band are also now joined by Amelia Kidd on keys and Telegram’s Jordan Cook on drums, alongside original member Joshua Hayward on guitar, making the new album their first to not feature all five original members.
The news comes after the Southend band announced back in 2021 that they would be going forward as a four-piece after sharing that keyboardist Tom Furse would be taking a break from performing for the foreseeable future.
At the time, Furse shared a statement explaining that touring life isn’t really for him, and that he’s “more of a maker than a performer”.
The original line-up comprised of vocalist Badwan, guitarist Hayward, keyboardist Furse, bassist Webb and drummer Joe Spurgeon.
Alongside new music announcements, The Horrors have announced a run of intimate shows this winter, including a show at London’s ICA.
The tour kicks off at Esquires in Bedford on November 27, followed by dates in Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol and more, before ending in Chinnerys, Southend on December 14.
Artist pre-sale for those shows goes live on Friday (October 4) at 10am BST, ahead of the general sale next Friday (October 11) at 10am BST. You can purchase your tickets here.
The Horrors’ 2024 live dates are:
NOVEMBER
27 – Bedford, Esquires
28 – London, The ICA
DECEMBER
3 – Manchester, Yes (Pink Room)
4 – Leeds, Belgrave Music Hall
5 – Glasgow, Room 2
12 – Blackpool, Bootleg Social
13 – Bristol, Strange Brew
14 – Southend, Chinnerys
As The Horrors approach their 20th anniversary as a band, the group are exploring a different sonic direction with the new album.
The record began in the form of demos at Webb’s flat in North London, with the duo committed to “shortening the distance between having an idea and expressing it”.
The Horrors’ ‘Night Life’ tracklisting is:
1. ‘Ariel’
2. ‘Silent Sister’
3. ‘The Silence That Remains’
4. ‘Trial By Fire’
5. ‘The Feeling Is Gone’
6. ‘Lotus Eater’
7. ‘More Than Life’
8. ‘When The Rhythm Breaks’
9. ‘LA Runaway’
The album then took proper shape in LA with the help of producer Yves Rothman (Yves Tumor, Blondshell) before the final touches were applied in London along with guitarist Hayward, in addition to Kidd sharing parts and production ideas remotely from Glasgow.
According to a press release, the album is a “record of weight and space, of melancholy and euphoria” which explores “the thoughts that happen under the cover of darkness; the places your mind takes you when the rest of the world is asleep. A record born out of a desire to revive the raw, instinctive spirit of the band’s early work”.
The band had previously not released any new music since the three-track EP ‘Against The Blade’ in November 2021, which in turn followed on from the ‘Lout’ EP earlier that year.
Over the summer, The Horrors performed an intimate London show and teased that there would be “new music very soon”. Before that, their last show was at Wide Awake Festival in London’s Brockwell Park in May 2022.