photos by Jerry Deeney
British avant doom/post-rock duo NOISEPICKER prepares to release their second album, The Earth Will Swallow The Sun, March 21st via Exile On Mainstream Records, today unveiling its cover art, track listing, preorders, and lead video/single, “What You Deserve.”
With more than a quarter of a century of noise making history behind him, singer and guitarist Harry Armstrong returns. Known as the current bass player in Orange Goblin, Armstrong has been a part of delivering the hard rock of Blind River, the sludgy thrash metal of End Of Level Boss, the piano-led jazz rock of The Earls Of Mars, the stoner fix of Hangnail and alongside Bill Steer and Ludwig Witt in Firebird, the instrumental soundscapes of The Winchester Club, the death metal of Decomposed, and many others. Armstrong, alongside drummer Kieran Murphy, are NOISEPICKER.
Having released their first album, Peace Off, through Exile On Mainstream in 2018, other commitments (and the dreaded COVID-19 shutdown) put NOISEPICKER on a slight hiatus, until a stash of unused riff ideas were dusted off during 2024 to make what is about to be their second full-length release, The Earth Will Swallow The Sun. On a permanent search to constantly try “something else,” Armstrong has taken to writing, recording, and mixing this new record himself, just to see if he could accomplish the task. Recorded in a rehearsal room and mixed in his kitchen – assisted only in the mastering, which was handled by Stefan Brüggemann – it is an approach to music with a DIY ethic fully embedded in its heart.
Do not expect neat, polished, note perfect, carefully constructed opuses in this environment. NOISEPICKER is loud, abrasive, and in constant flux, influenced by their love of all things doom, punk, and blues. Come stare aghast at it.
The Earth Will Swallow The Sun’s lead single “What You Deserve” arrives through a video at the mighty EOM 25 festival. Armstrong writes, “The video was filmed at the stunning UT Connewitz theatre in Leipzig during the Exile On Mainstream record label’s 25th birthday celebrations in 2024. The theatre is a thing of absolute beauty and wears its scars on its sleeves for all to see. Abused and mistreated for many years, it was finally rescued by local music enthusiasts and brought back to life – to stand defiant in the face of adversity. I feel this suits the song perfectly. It is a song about revenge without apology, and the theatre has an aura that its own revenge is fully in motion, and that the outcome, no matter how brutal, will be justified!”
Watch NOISEPICKER’s “What You Deserve” video now at THIS LOCATION and click HERE to find the song on all streaming services.
Exile On Mainstream will release The Earth Will Swallow The Sun March 21st, digitally and on audiophile virgin Black Vinyl LP with a bundled CD. Find physical preorders at the label webshop HERE, digital preorders at Bandcamp HERE, and digital presaves HERE.
Several additional videos will drop over the next few months surrounding the album’s release. Watch for European tour dates to be posted as well.
The Earth Will Swallow The Sun Track Listing:
1. What You Deserve
2. Chew
3. Tomorrow Lied The Devil
4. Leave Me The Name
5. What Did You Think Was Going To Happen
6. The End Of The Beginning
7. Start The Flood
8. The Earth Will Swallow The Sun
9. Lorraine In Blood
10. Lunatics
https://www.noisepicker.org
https://noisepicker.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/noisepickernoisepicker
https://www.instagram.com/noisepickerband
https://x.com/infonoisepicker
https://www.mainstreamrecords.de
https://www.youtube.com/@exileonmainstream3639