Aussie icons The Cat Empire have unveiled a brand-new era for the band, with legacy members Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill breathing new life into the band’s DNA as they welcome a wonderful collective of musicians, exploring new styles while celebrating the melting pot of international sounds coming from local artists.
Today they share their high-octane first offering with ‘Thunder Rumbles’ out via Ditto. Premiering on Double J, the new track is an explosive storm of melody, brass, and percussion alongside lead singer Felix’s gritty vocals.
On the track, lead vocalist Felix says “It’s got all the elements (and then some…) of a Cat Empire classic. A New Orleans-y sousaphone kicks it off, makes its way to a stadium Latin break in the middle, then keeps flying from there. It’s brass heavy (played by The Horns of Leroy), drum heavy, and high drama. The lyrics are more or less a brawl of celebration.”
Percussionist Neda Rahmani discusses the recording ‘Thunder Rumbles’, “This was too much fun to record! The atmosphere in the studio was epic – joining so many Melbournian brass and percussion, with the core Cat Empire band members rocking through to steer and bless the track. Random fact: My name actually means ‘thunder’ in Farsi (language in Iran, where I was born) so this song is very special to me”
The Cat Empire have also unveiled their brand-new clip, with visuals zesty enough to quench your thirst, the band light up the screen with their explosive vibrancy. With an infectious groove, listeners are guaranteed to shimmy, shake, and sing their way through the latest track.
Felix discusses the making of the clip, “Making this video was wall-to-wall (bluescreen) fun down the lens of a single camcorder. A lot of laughter. A great crew. Heaps of colour and dynamics. A real throwback to clips from the 80’s / 90’s. It also introduces a lot of visuals and themes from the album art. Welcome to the world of Thunder Rumbles. Let the lightning strike!!!!”
Director Nick Campbell says, “I wanted to capture the energy of a Cat Empire show, smashing together footage in a vibrant, freewheeling collage. Something about the way the image falls apart just felt right, like a David Byrne video from the 80s. It was a really fun set to be on, the song is a joyous romp, and it was important that came across on camera. The rest of the band was just out of frame, cheering on whoever we were filming.”
New faces include award-winning musical force Grace Barbe, hailing from the Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles on bass and vocals. Cuban-born trumpeter and vocalist Lazaro Numa joins long-time tinmen Ross Irwin and Kieran Conrau in the Empire Horns. To Cat Empire fans, Daniel Farrugia’s drumming won’t be unfamiliar. He’s toured with the band multiple times and is one of the most exciting and in-demand live and studio drummers in Australia. Finally, bolstering the percussion section is Neda Rahmani – a dear friend of The Cat Empire whose love of language and community has connected her to Afro and Brazilian drumming cultures in Australia and around the world.
On the live circuit, The Cat Empire’s new show celebrates movement, vibrancy, and playfulness – with a host of new material as well as the crowd-favourites. The band are currently across the pond for a massive run of shows in Europe and the UK – having sold 90% of their shows with only a handful to go.
Leaning into a sense of musical curiosity with boundless possibilities, this newfound spirit promises to shine an even brighter light on the band’s exuberant musicality, elevating their sound and broadening their influences.
With a history of multiple platinum records, awards, sold out tours and over 250 million streams – The Cat Empire have officially entered their golden era.
