Godsticks recently announced their return with their new album “This Is What A Winner Looks Like” out May 26th via Kscope, and introduced the new era of the band with the first single ‘Mayhem’, a track that flits from pneumatic staccato style riffs to an earworm chorus before an inspired solo slingshots us home to the song’s abrupt end.
Following the stop-start juggernaut that was such previous single, ‘If I Don’t Take It All’ sees the band embracing electronic elements adding even more texture to their signature identity. Exploring dynamics, the song moves deftly throughout its short run time, remaining accessible yet exploratory and acting as the perfect amuse-bouche for the album.
The track came about as an indirect impact of the pandemic – Darran Charles found himself immersed in TV shows during this trying time to find a way to escape from the void of live performance. Accompanying the song is the band’s new video which brings that sense of struggle to life. Darran Charles outlines more: “It’s about the struggles we all face every day and overcoming them – whether it’s something a bit more dramatic and harrowing like the shows and characters I was inspired by, or the more personal, inner battles that every one of us will have to face at some point in our lives. It’s about not giving in to anything, and each of us tried to reflect that determination in our performances.”
The band elaborate further on the video for the new track as well: “We were able to film the video for ‘If I Don’t Take It All’ at a really cool location, hidden away in Cardiff Bay. It was very dark and quite claustrophobic at times, but our videographers were able to create this amazing prison-like atmosphere that perfectly captures the tone of the song.”
With the release of ‘If I Don’t Take It All’ the band also say goodbye to long time member Dan Nelson, who throughout his thirteen year tenure in the band leaves on the most amicable of terms as the band state below.
“After 13 years in the band, we knew we had to have a frank discussion about what he wanted to do, and sadly he didn’t want to continue. We shan’t miss him because we still see him most days and will always stay friends, but we will miss his contribution to Godsticks as he is without doubt an indelible part of our sound. We think he saved the best until last too, as you’ll find out when ‘This Is What A Winner Looks Like’ is released!”
With that in mind, the band now welcome new member Francis George who makes his video debut in the new single and is the new bass player of the band.
“Adding Francis to the band was a no-brainer really. Last year he filled in on bass for our performance at Prog Power Europe, and somehow managed to not only learn our very complex material in no time at all, but play it with a great sound and feel. We knew we had to invite him to join us, and we are very excited to take this new line up on the road this June!”
“This Is What A Winner Looks Like” Artwork
Recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios, “This Is What A Winner Looks Like” was produced by James Loughrey and mastered by Maor Appelbaum. The album’s striking cover artwork was created by Richard Beeching who mentions “The band and I agreed we needed a visually engaging sleeve to match the album’s strong title, but nothing too literal. Something just about abstract enough to allow the audience to make of it what they will. Our primate fits the bill nicely.”
“This Is What A Winner Looks Like”Track-Listing:
- If I Don’t Take It All
- Eliminate and Repair
- This Is My New Normal
- Devotion Made To Offend
- Silent Saw
- Throne
- Don’t Say A Word To Me
- Mayhem
- Lying
- Wake Up
“This Is What A Winner Looks Like” will be available in black vinyl, Digipak CD and digital
Pre-orders from the band’s store get a bonus 3 track CD titled ‘Crushed’ and pre-orders from Kscope store will also receive the bonus 3 track CD as well as a signed postcard.
