BUSH Announces 'The Art Of Survival' Album, Unveils 'More Than Machines' Single

BUSH will release its ninth full-length album, "The Art Of Survival", on October 7 via BMG. The LP marks the group's first new release since their critically acclaimed 2020 effort "The Kingdom".

To herald the album's arrival, BUSH has unveiled a hard-hitting and hypnotic new single titled "More Than Machines".

On the track, a grinding riff grates up against glitchy production as singer and guitarist Gavin Rossdale assures, "Girls you in control, not the government." Between finger-snaps and guttural distortion, a soaring hook takes hold, "We are more than machines."

Stay tuned for the premiere of a cinematic music video to accompany the track soon.

Regarding "More Than Machines", Rossdale states: "This is an action-packed song with three really big topics. Off the bat, I don't understand how anyone has the audacity to get involved or assume responsibility for women's bodies. I wanted to reference that because it's important to discuss. As much as the song is about the destruction of women's rights, it's about the destruction of the planet and the move for A.I. and a world of robots to replace us. It's a topic we've heard since the fifties. I'm not here to teach anything though; my job is medieval like a town crier. I come into town with my elixirs and sing about it, so it hopefully goes out into the universe."

Forging ahead once more, BUSH wrote and recorded what would become "The Art Of Survival" during 2022, reteaming with Erik Ron (PANIC! AT THE DISCO, GODSMACK) who produced "Flowers On A Grave" and the title track for "The Kingdom", and collaborating once again on two tracks with film composer, musician, and producer Tyler Bates ("300", "Guardian Of The Galaxy"). The central theme speaks to both the human spirit's resiliency in the face of trials and tribulations as well as the band's own enduring place as rock outliers.

Rossdale adds: "Instead of being mournful or self-piteous, this is about the success stories of humanity's survival against the odds. People just find a way to push through. We've all obviously suffered in varying degrees. I think the nature of life is the art of survival. Everyone is being tested all of the time, but we find a way. In recent memory, we've made major strides and shown great resilience in the face of war, endless instances of racism, gender politics, a pandemic, and a melting pot of what we've experienced. For me, 'The Art Of Survival' encompasses all of this."

"The Art Of Survival" track listing:

01. Heavy Is The Ocean
02. Slow Me
03. More Than Machines
04. May Your Love Be Pure
05. Shark Bite
06. Human Sand
07. Kiss Me I'm Dead
08. Identity
09. Creatures of the Fire
10. Judas Is A Riot
11. Gunfight
12. 1000 Years

Last weekend, BUSH gave fans a special performance of "More Than Machines" at the sold-out Atlantis Concert For Earth festival in the Azores Islands, Portugal, which highlights and celebrates global conservation efforts for the planet. The group's incredible guitar riffs mixed with Rossdale vocals emphasizing the lyrics, created an impactful set that made the crowd go wild

Rossdale recently told Germany's Radio Bob! about the musical direction of the band's upcoming follow-up to 2020's "The Kingdom" album: "I think I had so much fun to make it heavy that I just stayed heavy and stayed with heavy tuning and strong riffs — stuff [that will go over well at] festivals. I just like it to be exciting and really driving. So it's similar to the last one. If you liked the last one, that level of heavy, then it's like that."

Four months ago, Rossdale told Australia's May The Rock Be With You that he had written 18 songs for BUSH's next album. He also said that he tried to keep the musical direction of the new BUSH music similar to that of "The Kingdom". "It's all like that," he said. "I like that. So I've kept it in that vein. That was the launchpad. That was it. I was, like, 'I'm off.' I've got maybe two ballady, two softer songs, slower songs, but they're weird."

He continued: "I've got a studio in my house now and it's been such an amazing time. You have the tools at your fingertips now to make songs and make music. It's just staggering. It's so much fun."

Hitting the road on one of the hottest rock tours of the summer, BUSH will join ALICE IN CHAINS and BREAKING BENJAMIN for a massive North American jaunt, rolling through amphitheaters and sheds coast to coast for eight weeks. The tour kicks off on August 10 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania at The Pavilion at Star Lake, visits major markets everywhere, and concludes on October 8 in Mansfield, Massachusetts at Xfinity Center.

Photo credit: Dove Shore