Merseyside band The Mysterines announce their new album Afraid of Tomorrows, the highly-anticipated follow up to their critically-acclaimed Top 10 debut album ‘Reeling’, is set for release on June 7 via Fiction Records and Virgin Music Group. Alongside the announcement, they have unveiled the brooding lead single ‘Stray’.
Vocalist and guitarist Lia Metcalfe has barbed-wire vocals wrapped in gossamer that seemingly growl with intent above the dark, thundering, throbbing music, exhibiting a dynamic and transfixing range. The result is something that throws Garbage and Nine Inch Nails into a mixer and creates something quite stunning and unique. There is something louche and bachamanalian about the music – hedonistic and brim full of attitude, swaggering and potent.
Metcalfe says of the single:
‘Stray’ focuses on the aimless and untamed nature of the polarities of behavior that we experience when dealing with suffering. Whether it’s guilt, paranoia or unexplained feelings of grandiosity. Often when the hands of loneliness have a firm grip over one’s eyes it can turn dangers into open doors inviting you in. We find a certain point of no return and we’re often led astray.
The Matilda Harding-Kemp directed video is stylistic and immersive, and highly sensuous as Metcalfe and dancer Joshua Hubbard dance and perform to the music in lush dynamic colours:
This is exciting and thrilling stuff. ‘Stray’ is out now and available to download and stream here.
‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ is unleashed on 7 June 2024 and you can pre-order here.
Metcalfe is joined in the band by George Favager (bass), Callum Thompson (guitar) and Paul Crilly (drums). Metcalf enigmatically says of the album:
‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ is a mirror where you find you’re nothing more than a formless being, one made from celestial constellations – of traumas, of the old and new, mistakes, addiction, fear and happiness, loneliness, but ultimately a desire for life and the fight to keep living. It’s a collage of what’s been lost and of love unbounded.
The band has just wrapped up the UK leg touring as main support to Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, continuing this week in Europe.
They were also recently announced as special guests to Bloc Party for their huge 20th anniversary Crystal Palace Park show on 7 July, and are set to bring their live show to festivals all over Europe and the UK this summer, including Live at Leeds in the Park, 2000 Trees, Truck Festival and Tramlines.
The Mysterines 2024 Live Dates
Supporting Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes:
22nd Feb – Metropol, Berlin, Germany
23rd Feb – Live Music Hall, Cologne, Germany
24th Feb – Le Bataclan, Paris, France
26th Feb – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
27th Feb – Poppodium, Tilburg, Netherlands
Summer Shows:
10th May – FOCUS Wales 2024, UK
11th May – Are You Listening? Festival, Reading, UK
17th May – London Calling, Amsterdam, Netherlands
24th May – In It Together Festival, Wales, UK
25th May – Live at Leeds in the Park, Leeds, UK
9th Jun – Best Kept Secret, Netherlands
21st Jun – Southside Festival, Germany
23rd Jun – Hurricane Festival, Germany
7th Jul – Crystal Palace Park, London (supporting Bloc Party)
11th Jul – 2000 Trees Festival, Cheltenham, UK
20th Jul – Tsunami Festival, Spain
25th Jul – Truck Festival, Steventon, UK
26th Jul – Tramlines Festival, Sheffield, UK
2nd Aug – Y Not Festival, UK
3rd Aug – Rocken Am Brocken, Germany
Feature Photograph: Sylas Agtarap (@ShotBySig)
