Pearl Jam have announced their new album "Dark Matter" and shared the title track. The band’s 12th album – the follow-up to 2020’s "Gigaton" – is out April 19 via Monkeywrench Records.
Alongside the announcement, Eddie Vedder and co. have dropped their thrashing title track.
The band have already hinted at what fans can expect from the new record, with guitarist Mike McCready recently sharing that it’s “heavier than you’d expect”.
“We have a bunch of songs tracked,” he said in an interview with Classic Rock. “We worked with Andrew Watt, who’s a younger pop producer-type guy, but he’s really a rock guy at heart — I think we’re his favorite band. When we were in the studio with him this past year, he really kicked our asses, got us focused and playing, song after song.”
McCready continued: “There’s the melody and energy of the first couple of records. Andrew pushed us to play as hard and melodic and thoughtful as we’ve done in a long time. I feel like Matt Cameron’s drumming has elements of what he did in Soundgarden.”
Watt has previously worked with artists including Miley Cyrus, Post Malone and Lana Del Rey, and also has also had credits on albums from rock artists like Ozzy Osbourne.
As for his own contribution, McCready said “you’re gonna hear a lot more lead guitar from me, stuff I haven’t done in a long time”.
Reviewing ‘Gigaton’ in 2020, NME said the album saw “one of the biggest rock bands in the world return to semi-brilliance”. The three-star write-up continued: “Eddie Vedder and co.’s 11th album won’t change your life, but should boast enough vitriol to satisfy long-term fans.”
Back in October, Pearl Jam released a reissue of their second studio LP ‘Vs.’ in celebration of its 30th anniversary.
Elsewhere, Vedder surprised young musicians based in Hawaii earlier this year with brand-new guitars for Christmas.
