Canadian-American rockers PALAYE ROYALE have released an animated video for their brand new single "Little Bastards", the opening track of their upcoming album, "The Bastards", due on May 29 via Sumerian Records.
The storyboard for the new animated video for "Little Bastards" is based on PALAYE ROYALE's upcoming graphic novel that has been written and drawn by drummer Emerson Barrett and XO Billie. It reflects this time of isolation and shows the bands innate ability to deliver enormous creativity, even during times of isolation and great challenge.
Speaking on the new song and video, guitarist Sebastian Danzig says: "'Little Bastards' is the opening track from our third album, 'The Bastards'. Musically, we show the direction of the album all in a single track. The vulnerability, the truth and the aggression all wrapped together in a three-and-a-half-minute track which will set the listener up for what is too come for the next 14 tracks and what corners we will touch. Lyrically, it trails from our latest release 'Lonely' but displaying the frustration and anger towards individuals that are meant to be friends. Visually, we wanted to display our current state which is complete isolation from the world; trapped inside a house but yet the toxic society has found its way inside. We have to 'band' together to keep our circle of trust and honesty tight."
PALAYE ROYALE has been teasing "The Bastards" since last year. Surrounded by a utopian world created by the band, "The Bastards" is set in a place that is a reflection of their own lives, but in a mythological sense.
Emerson Barrett says: "It takes place around the island of Obsidian and it's set in 1888. In short, it's a world that started off with intentions where the island encouraged free thinkers and artists to exist and, as everything does in life, eventually it becomes this political power and evil toxicity that comes with everything. To remain a true individual in the society, you must wear a gas mask."
Musically, the album is an enormous step up for the band. It is, in turn, dark, lush, angry, vulnerable, caustic and warm. From the grandiose Bond-theme-esque "Tonight Is The Night I Die" to the darkly jarring "Anxiety", from the quietly heartbreaking refrain of "Lonely" and the massive fuzzed up, distorted guitars of "Nightmares (Coming Down)", "The Bastards" demonstrates just how far the band have expanded their writing and musical dexterity, rounding out their already accomplished arson with flourishes of electronics, metal beat-downs, drum-and-bass beats and haunting string arrangements. There are singles on the album, luminous highlights, but it’s also a piece of work that works beautifully when listened to as a whole. That, despite the fact that it was recorded in a variety of locations.
Sebastian Danzig states about the recording process for "The Bastards": "We rented an AirBnB in Joshua Tree, one in London, and we kept on going in little areas and writing new sections of the album. It's crazy — we thought the album was done in March of last year, and we did the heavy stuff in Joshua Tree. We wrote 'Little Bastards' a week before the album was supposed to be mixed and mastered."
Lyrically, the album addresses a number of important issues, prevalent to today's youth — struggles with mental health, the gun violence epidemic, substance use as a means to escape a difficult reality and parental abandonment all play a part in the album's rich lyrical tapestry.
Remington adds: "We need a little honesty and a little truth. The world is getting so tainted by everyone trying to be so fucking perfect and so goddamn PG and trying to walk this line of not trying to offend anyone. People need to be themselves, just for 20 minutes at least."
"The Bastards" track listing:
01. Little Bastards
02. Massacre, The New American Dream
03. Anxiety
04. Tonight Is The Night I Die
05. Lonely
06. Hang On To Yourself
07. Fucking With My Head
08. Nervous Breakdown
09. Nightmares
10. Masochist
11. Doom (Empty)
12. Black Sheep
13. Stay
14. Redeemer
15. Lord Of Lies (bonus track)
