For years, the fans of long-running and massively influential New Jersey rockers Monster Magnet have been divided. Purists on the one side celebrate the band’s earliest works — 1991’s Spine of God and its follow-ups Superjudge (1993) and Dopes to Infinity (1995) forming a holy trinity of modern heavy psychedelic rock that few can match — while others revere the more straightforward, riff-heavy approach that began to show itself on Dopes, came to the fore and brought the band massive commercial success on the subsequent 1997 outing Powertrip, and has been more or less the root basis for their development since then, God Says No (2001), Monolithic Baby! (2004), 4-Way Diablo (2007) and their Napalm Records debut, Mastermind (2010), each offering an atmosphere of its own while keeping a consistent thread structurally via the songwriting of guitarist, vocalist and founder Dave Wyndorf.

On Oct. 15, Monster Magnet will issue what could be a new stage of their evolution in their ninth full-length and second for Napalm, Last Patrol. While some — and I count myself among them at least at times — have clamored for years for a return to the space rocking psych of the band’s first triumphs, we all know the past is the past. Monster Magnet in 2013, by the sheer laws of physics, cannot be Monster Magnet in 1993. And yet, as we hear on the new track “The Duke (of Supernature),” Magnet are at their most ethereal in decades. Wyndorf, who has long been the driving force in the band and taken his lumps along the way accordingly, shows his intent even in the fact that he recorded Last Patrol with rhythm guitarist Phil Caivano, DIY-style, such as it is. The aim was a natural sound and one that brought in elements Monster Magnet long since left behind in favor of more straightforward, accessible fare.

Still, it’s not like Wyndorf — joined in the band by Caivano, bassist Jim Baglino, guitarist Garrett Sweeny and drummer Bob Pantella — is trying to recreate wholesale something his outfit did years ago and with a different lineup. Frankly at this point I don’t think he could stop being catchy if he wanted to, and “The Duke (of Supernature),” for its lysergish drawl and attitude drip, is still a catchy showcase of quality songwriting. So at least here, they’re not just looking back and they’re not just pressing on as they were. It’s something new. What will the rest of Last Patrol hold? I’ll let you know when I hear it.

In addition to the the announcement of the album release, the first showing of the gorgeously cosmic John Sumrow painting serving as the front cover to Last Patrol and the track “The Duke (of Supernature)” itself, Monster Magnet here unveil their first coast-to-coast US tour in a decade. It’s a thrill and an honor to host both the song and the info for your listening and perusing pleasure.

Please enjoy:

MONSTER MAGNET Announce New Album!

Confirm First North American Tour in Over 10 Years!

MONSTER MAGNET are back! The band has confirmed an October 15th North American release date for their new album entitled Last Patrol via Napalm Records. Today MONSTER MAGNET has unveiled the artwork and tracklisting for Last Patrol. Dave Wyndorf and Phil Caivano produced Last Patrol, while Evil Joe Barresi mixed the album with additional production duties handled by Matt Hyde. The artwork was created by Johun Sumrow with consultation coming from Chris Ryall and designs by Ryan Clark for Invisible Creatures Inc. The album will be available as a Limited Edition CD, standard CD, 2LP and digital format.

In support of Last Patrol, MONSTER MAGNET will be embarking on a full-blown North American Tour! Although the band has toured Europe relentlessly over the past decade, this is MONSTER MAGNET’s first full North American tour in over 10 years! The band is eager to hit the road in the states for the first time in what seems like forever. Prepare to hear MONSTER MAGNET classics and new cuts from Last Patrol for the first time live! Support will come from Prosthetic Records artist Zodiac. The tour is scheduled to kick off November 14th in Grand Rapids, MI and will run through December 14th in New York, NY.

Frontman and MONSTER MAGNET mastermind Dave Wyndorf checked in with his thoughts about Last Patrol:

“Last Patrol is a return to our roots in terms of vibe and recording style. It’s full-on psychedelic space-rock with a 60’s garage feel, recorded almost exclusively with vintage guitars, amps and effects in our hometown of Red Bank, NJ. The songs are a kind of Space-Noir, tales of cosmic revenge, peaking libidos, alienation and epic strangeness. It’s a weird trip through the back alleys of a dark, retro-future, which not by coincidence very much resembles my own life. (laughs) The lyrics aren’t fantasy really, rather a recounting of my musings on, observations of and general emotional reaction to my life and environment during a 1 week writing period in February of 2013. But I tend to use the vernacular and imagery of science fiction and surrealism to express myself and that’s where these lyrics get trippy. There’s also our cover version of Donovan’s “Three Kingfishers” which I thought fit the mood of the album.”

“Last Patrol was produced by Phil Caivano and myself with an effort to bring a home grown feel to the whole affair. We had been doing smaller projects out of Phil’s “Studio 13” recording space and I really felt comfortable there so it was the natural choice on where to record the next full-scale Monster Magnet album. Phil and I grew up together and have a shared love of some very particular vintage music and styles. And everybody in the band played their asses off on this one.”

Last Patrol Tracklisting:

1) I Live Behind the Clouds

2) Last Patrol

3) Three King Fishers

4) Paradise

5) Hallelujah

6) Mindless Ones

7) The Duke

8) End of Time

9) Stay Tuned

MONSTER MAGNET North American Tour:

11/14: Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection

11/15: Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews

11/16: Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

11/17: Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights

11/19: Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater

11/20: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

11/22: Seattle, WA @ Neumos

11/23: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater

11/24: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater

11/26: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

11/27: Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues

11/29: Tempe, AZ @ Club Red

11/30: Albuquerque, NM @ Launch Pad

12/2: Austin, TX @ Red 7

12/3: Houston, TX @ Fitzgeralds

12/4: Dallas, TX @ Trees

12/6: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

12/7: Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend

12/8: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage

12/10: Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace

12/12: Boston, MA @ Sinclair

12/13: West Chester, PA @ The Note

12/14: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

For More Info Visit:

http://www.zodiaclung.com

https://www.facebook.com/monstermagnet

http://www.napalmrecords.com