US hard rock group Pop Evil announced their new album, Skeletons due March 17, 2023, via MNRK Heavy, along with their U.S. headlining tour starting on the same day.
The 11-tracks feature the already released singles, ‘Eye of the Storm’ landing at the #5 Most Played Song in 2022 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart, and the most recent single, ‘Paranoid (Crash & Burn).’ The album also includes guest performers such as Ryan Kirby from Fit for a King on ‘Dead Reckoning’ – a song brought to the table by bassist, Joey “Chicago” Walser – plus Blake Allison from Devour the Day providing guest vocals on ‘Wrong Direction.’ [Pre-Save + Pre-Order] HERE
In discussing the album, frontman Leigh Kakaty said, “This is about us as a band stripping everything down to the bones. It’s more uptempo, it’s got bigger riffs, and we’re trying to capture the energy of our live show.”
“But it’s also a positive message,” he adds. “I know it’s a morbid visual, but behind every skeleton, there’s a story and something worth talking about. Overall, it’s about looking at something in a positive way. And I’m excited for everyone to hear that.”
The first single, ‘Eye of the Storm‘ is a pummeling, chaotic maelstrom with an uplifting message at its center (and a killer chorus). As for the song’s lyrical plea, Kakaty explains: “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, at some point we all face a situation beyond our control. At times, it feels hopeless, but it’s not. There is a path through the chaos and a way out of the confusion. You are stronger and closer than you think you are. The storm will pass. Don’t let it bury you.”
Their most recent single, ‘Paranoid (Crash & Burn),’ oscillates from something more melodic and rhythmic to pure aggression, that “get out of my head” scream is certainly going to resonate. “It’s about the voices in our head — we all have ‘em, but do we act on them?” says Kakaty. “It’s a cautionary tale, about processing those voices in a positive way.
The music video is created by award-winning filmmaker and director, Jensen Noen best known for his work with Falling In Reverse, Ice Nine Kills, and Asking Alexandria. The digital world in “Paranoid (Crash & Burn)” is about overcoming inner demons that bring the song to life with futuristic elements. In discussing the video, Noen says, “During tough times, our minds can easily wander into dark places. It can feel like you’re drowning in a sea of paranoia. But no matter how bad things get, there’s always hope. There is always a way to escape from our minds. We just need to find the right key to unlock the door.”
Skeletons see the band once again working with producer Drew Fulk (Disturbed, Papa Roach, Motionless in White), a friend and collaborator on a few previous albums that generated # hits. “With ‘Versatile,’ we had a bunch of producers, but for this album, we just wanted to work with one person and get back to our roots,” says Kakaty. “There’s an energy he and I have, and he’s been great at helping us build these songs and work around some collective themes.”
The band partnered with Heart Support to spread awareness about mental health by giving away custom shows created by bassist Joey “Chicago” Walser. Pop Evil said, “We all have voices in our head that tell us lies. They say things like “I’m not good enough”, “I’m alone”, “Things will never get better. These voices have the power to stop us in our tracks if we don’t fight them. We know that the first step in quieting these voices is sharing them with others and receiving encouragement.”
Skeletons Tracklist:
Arrival
Paranoid (Crash & Burn)
Circles
Eye of The Storm
Sound of Glory
Skeletons
Worth It
Who Will We Become
Wrong Direction (Feat Devour the Day)
Dead Reckoning (Feat Fit For A King)
Raging Bull (Feat Zillion)
Connect with Pop Evil
www.popevil.com
www.facebook.com/popevil
www.twitter.com/PopEvil
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