Kasabian have announced their first album since Tom Meighan’s departure.
The former frontman was let go from the band and sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work in July 2020, after pleading guilty to assaulting his now-spouse, Vikki Ager, during the incident in April that year.
Tom has since gone solo and is currently on the road.
And the ‘Club Foot’ rockers – whose guitarist Serge Pizzorno is now performing frontman duties – are on a completely different path, with their first LP since 2017’s ‘For Crying Out Loud’ on the way.
‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’ is released on August 5, and it includes the recently released single, ‘ALYGATYR’, and the latest tune, out today (06.05.22), ‘SCRIPTVRE’.
Penned by Serge and co-produced with Stormzy and Adele’s producer Frazer T Smith, the frantic track is “about rewriting the story you tell yourself.”
He continued: “One thing about this record I feel over the other ones, is it definitely feels like a body of work that belongs together. It was a beautiful moment in mastering hearing it as a piece. I think it really holds up in our seven albums … The Magnificent Seven.”
Serge – who is joined by Chris Edwards, Ian Matthews and Tim Carter in the indie rock outfit – has revealed the “euphoric” song was inspired by Kanye West and “’70s soul” music.
He told NME: “It has this huge sound that came from me bouncing off Kanye and old ‘70s soul cuts from digging in crates. There’s a euphoric, beautiful arms-in-the-air moment then goes back to this ferocious, heavy beat. It’s in your face.”
Serge admitted the album is an “emotional trip”.
He explained: “The album has a big, epic sound but with a personal touch as well.
“There are some softer edges alongside the massive parts. As a whole, it’s a beautiful thing and the most cohesive record we’ve ever made. It’s an emotional trip.
“It has a very universal feeling about forks in the road and which way you’re going to go. You’re a ship in the harbour – are you going to stay in the harbour, or do what a shop is supposed to do and get in the f****** sea, man? Go and ride as many waves as possible and see where you end up. It’s about dealing with that.”
Meanwhile, Kasabian are set to support Liam Gallagher when the former Oasis star makes his return to Knebworth on June 3 and 4.
Serge and co will also headline the Isle of Wight Festival on June 18.
Pre-order ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’ via kasabian.lnk.to/alchemists-euphoria.