Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators have announced a new album, 4, and shared video for the lead single “The River Is Rising” ahead of the February 11th release date. The band has also unveiled dates for an early 2022 tour.
The song marks the first new music in three years from Slash and his band, and it doesn’t disappoint. There’s a definite metallic stomp to the track, which opens with a tremolo riff that would be at home in a black metal song.
From there, quintet lock into a four-on-the-floor groove as Kennedy alternates between epic singing and cleaner melodies during the chorus. Overall, there’s plenty to satiate both hard rock and metal fans. A crisply shot performance video provides an up-close look at the band’s stage show.
“There’s two or three songs on the record that were written during the pandemic; everything else was written before,” remarked Slash in a press release. “‘The River Is Rising’ was one of the last songs I wrote before we started pre-production, and because it was so fresh and has a certain groove and energy to it, it was the first thing we really attacked.”
Added Kennedy on the decision to make the song the LP opener: “The lyric ultimately explores how humans can be brainwashed or indoctrinated by some sort of dangerous idea. Once we shot the demo back and forth a few times, I personally felt confident that we had the album opener. To me, it’s an important track.”
4 is being released via guitar-maker Gibson’s brand-new record label, in partnership with BMG. It was recorded in Nashville at RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb, who’s known for his work with country rock acts such as Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell. Under Cobb’s supervision, Slash and the Conspirators laid down their tracks live in the studio, including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the band.
That should have the group even more prepared for a 28-show 2022 North American tour in support of the new record. The trek, featuring support from Dead Sara, kicks off February 8th in Portland, Oregon, and runs through March 26th in Orlando, Florida. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. local time next Friday (October 29th) and will be available via Ticketmaster.
Digital and pre-orders for 4 are available here. In addition, Slash and company are offering some serious deluxe-edition packages, including CD and vinyl box sets (featuring a mini Les Paul, rehearsal cassette, 36-page photobook, and more). Gibson will also release a Slash Les Paul Standard 4 Album Edition guitar package (out February 11th), limited to 250.
Stream the video for “The River Is Rising” and check out the album art, tracklist, tour dates, and deluxe bundles below.
4 Artwork:
4 Tracklist:
01. The River Is Rising
02. Whatever Gets You By
03. C’est la vie
04. The Path Less Followed
05. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
06. Spirit Love
07. Fill My World
08. April Fool
09. Call Off The Dogs
10. Fall Back To Earth
Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators 2022 Tour Dates with Dead Sara:
02/08 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
02/09 – Seattle, WA @ The Paramount Theatre
02/11 – Brooks, CA @ Cache Creek Casino Resort
02/12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
02/15 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre
02/16 – Valley Center, CA @ Harrah’s Resort Southern Ca
02/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Youtube Theater
02/19 – Las Vegas, NV @ Theater At Virgin Hotels
02/22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Hall -Eccles Theater
02/23 – Denver @ Paramount Theatre
02/25 – Kansas City, MO @Arvest Bank Theatre-The Midland
02/26 – Prior Lake, MN @ Mystic Lake Casino-Mystic Showroom
02/28 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
03/02 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
03/04 – Windsor, ON, CAN @ Caesars Windsor-The Colosseum
03/05 – Waterloo, NY @ The Vine @ Del Lago Resort
03/07 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
03/09 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore -Silver Spring
03/11 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Tropicana-Atlantic City
03/12 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
03/14 – Richmond, VA @ Dominion Energy Center
03/16 – Nashville, TN @ Grand Ole Opry House
03/18 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy
03/19 – Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center
03/21 – Charlotte, NC @The Fillmore-Charlotte
03/23 – Charleston, SC @ N. Charleston Performing Arts Center
03/25 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
03/26 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live – Orlando
