Bear McCreary is continuing the story of his symphonic metal project The Singularity with the release of a new album, The Singularity: Ekleipsis, arriving July 31 through Sparks & Shadows Records and Mutant.
The project began in 2024 with the release of The Singularity, a hard rock and metal concept album featuring an impressive lineup of guest performers, including Serj Tankian of System Of A Down, Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Rufus Wainwright, and others.
The upcoming follow-up, The Singularity: Ekleipsis, expands on that narrative. Written primarily by Bear McCreary and his brother Brendan McCreary, the album takes its title from the ancient Greek word for “abandonment” and explores themes centered on perseverance, struggle, and disillusionment.
The record once again brings together a wide range of notable names from the rock and metal worlds. Contributors include Joseph Duplantier (Gojira), Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy), Claudio Sanchez (Coheed And Cambria), Jens Kidman (Meshuggah), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Tim Henson (Polyphia), Steve Vai, Slash (Guns N’ Roses), Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Stewart Copeland (The Police), and more.
The latest preview of the album is the new track “Cool Kids”, featuring Slash, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, and Brendan McCreary.
Discussing the song, Bear McCreary said: “‘Cool Kids’ was born when [bassist] Duff McKagan sent me a voice memo of a riff he was messing around with. My ears perked up instantly — his riff was undeniable! So Duff and I went into the studio the next week, along with my brother, vocalist Brendan McCreary, and [drummer] Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote the song together. We went in with Duff‘s initial riff and our enthusiasm, and walked out with ‘Cool Kids’. When Slash got back into town, he added his signature screaming guitar parts, and there it was.
“‘Cool Kids’ is a song about all of us being proudly who we are, but I wouldn’t blame anybody for assuming the title was inspired by the fact that Brendan and I got to create this song with the coolest kids in rock and roll.”
When The Singularity: Ekleipsis was first unveiled in April, McCreary offered additional insight into the album:
“I need more cinematic metal in my life! The Singularity: Ekleipsis builds upon the musical and narrative themes of my 2024 album The Singularity, and this time around it rocks even harder. My brother, vocalist/producer Brendan McCreary, and I were once again thrilled to partner with a number of inspiring artists for this record, each of whom brought their unique musical personalities and perspectives to the project.
“‘Black Box’, our debut single, was written in collaboration with and features Joe Duplantier, of the iconic band Gojira. It blends my cinematic background with Joe‘s distinctive vocals, harmonized beautifully by the legendary women’s choir the Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices. Equally inspired by ’90s alternative bands, Eastern European folk music, symphonic film scores, and progressive metal, ‘Black Box’ encapsulates the epic scope of ‘Ekleipsis’ while just cracking open the door to the rest of the album.”
While many metal fans know Bear McCreary for his extensive work in film, television, and video games, the composer has steadily expanded his presence in heavy music. After launching his career under the mentorship of legendary composer Elmer Bernstein, McCreary became widely recognized for his score to Battlestar Galactica and has since earned multiple Emmy Awards, BAFTA Awards, Grammy nominations, and International Film Music Critics Association honors.
With The Singularity: Ekleipsis, McCreary continues to bridge cinematic composition and modern metal, assembling another diverse cast of musicians while pushing the project further into heavier territory.
