Photo by: Joey Senft
Hardcore foursome Cancer Bats have announced their eighth full-length record Give Me Dirt. The effort is slated to arrive on August 7th via Bat Skull Records, New Damage Records, and Marshall Records. The band tracked the album with Kurt Ballou and Zach Weeks producing at the former’s God City Studios. Vocals were recorded Camera Varda Studios with Ian Romano. Pre-orders are available now with physical copies available at DineAloneStore.com (CA) and CancerBats.ochre.store (rest of world). Digital versions can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. The cover art and track listing can be found below. Of the artwork, frontman Liam Cormier said:
“So many people I find are so sick of AI these days and all things that look too polished. I wanted the artwork to capture the energy of the album but also represent us as a band, we are rough and dirty, our sound is loud and a mix of so many influences. Making art like this felt like such a good visual representation of not only the songs, but also Cancer Bats ourselves.”
The group have also released a music video, directed by Mitch Barnes, for lead single “Stay Stuck”. Singer Liam Cormier spoke of the new single, sharing:
“‘Stay Stuck’ was such a fun song for us to write. It was one of the first songs that we finished while working on the new record and we really all felt like we had tapped into the classic Cancer Bats bouncy fun element we’ve had in songs since the beginning. The lyrics explore the idea that, at any age or moment in life, we all reach a point where we realize something has to change.
Maybe it’s the path we’re on, or just the way we see things, but there’s that instant where we say to ourselves, I’M NOT WASTING ANY MORE TIME! We’re all moving towards something bigger, chasing goals and dreams that the world can’t take away from us. That’s what keeps us going.”
Commenting on the video, Cormier added:
“The idea is that we were always having fun and staying positive in those jobs thinking of the future that we knew was coming for us. I think lots of times those jobs can feel like a grind and we wanted to look more at the fun times and how it’s really just that stepping stone to really living your dreams. Cancer Bats as a band also just really like an excuse to make fun and funny music videos so that was our whole thinking for the concept. A great cinematic vehicle for us to all have a really good time.”
Give Me Dirt track listing:
- “World Wild Fire Death Race” feat. Nate Newton (Converge, Cave In)
- “Stay Stuck”
- “Don’t Trip”
- “Bright Eyes of Gold” feat. Chris Creswell
- “Give Me Dirt”
- “Long Tooth” feat. Brooklyn Doran
- “Speed Wizard”
- “Ocean Crash”
- “Positive Grid”
- “Prognosis”
- “Fools Like You” feat. Efrem Schulz (Death By Stereo)
