King Gizzard & the lizard wizard
Just a week after revealing that their forthcoming album will be taking an orchestral lean, prolific Australian collective King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have officially detailed their 27th album.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Set for release on June 13 via the band’s own (p)doom Records, new album Phantom Island is slated to be a stylistic change for the genre-defying rockers, with the ten-track album seeing them utilize orchestral arrangements for the first time.
Inspired by a meeting with members of Los Angeles Philharmonic while backstage at the Hollywood Bowl in June 2023, the sessions for King Gizzard’s 2024 album Flight b741 yielded an additional batch of tracks that needed “more time and space and thought” and additional “energy and colour,” guitarist and vocalist Stu Mackenzie claimed.
Trending on Billboard
With the LA Philharmonic in mind, Mackenzie reached out to friend, British historical keyboardist, conductor and arranger Chad Kelly, who brings a “wealth of musical awareness to his chameleon-like arrangements,” according to Mackenzie. “We come from such different worlds – he plays Mozart and Bach and uses the same harpsichords they did, and tunes them the exact same way. But he’s obsessed with microtonal music, too, and all this nerdy stuff like me.”
Kelly’s influence can be seen in lead single “Deadstick,” which pairs elaborate orchestrations and funky musicianship with a sprawling clip directed by Guy Tyzack.
King Gizzard formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2010 and swiftly became one of the country’s most prolific groups, with both 2017 and 2022 seeing the band release five albums within the span of a year.
Despite their extensive output, the band have not yet topped the charts in their homeland (though they would hit No. 2 on four separate occasions). In the U.S., the band peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard 200 with 2019’s Infest the Rats’ Nest, while their voracious fanbase has also seen the majority of their releases chart on the Top Album Sales chart.
In January, King Gizzard were also listed on the lineup for the 2025 edition of Bonnaroo, performing three sets over three days as part of the inaugural ‘Roo Residency. This Residency coincides with the release of Phantom Island on June 13, and will be followed by a series of U.S. tour dates where the band will be joined by a different 29-piece orchestra in each city.
Their U.S. run will also feature a standalone “Rock ‘n Roll Show” in New York on Aug. 2, and will wrap in Colorado later that month with the band’s own three-day Field of Vision festival.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard 2025 U.S. Tour Dates
June 13-15 – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, TNJuly 28 – TD Pavilion At The Mann, Philadelphia, PA (w/ Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia)July 30 – Westville Music Bowl, New Haven, CT (w/ Orchestra of St. Luke’s)Aug. 1 – Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, NY (w/ Orchestra of St. Luke’s)Aug. 2 – Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, NYAug. 4 – Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (w/ National Symphony Orchestra)Aug. 6 – Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL (w/ Chicago Philharmonic)Aug. 8 – Ford Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, CO (w/ Colorado Symphony)Aug. 10 – Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Hollywood Bowl Orchestra)Aug. 11 – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA (w/ San Diego Symphony Orchestra)Aug. 15-17 – Field of Vision at Meadow Creek, Buena Vista, CO
Prolific Australian collective King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have officially announced the release of their forthcoming album, Phantom Island.
While the new record – the group’s 27th – has been officially detailed by the band, they’re yet to unveil a specific release date. However, while discussing the new ten-track LP, the band noted that on Tuesday (April 15), physical pre-orders will be made available via their own own (p)doom Records, alongside the release of the music video to new track “Deadstick,” and an AMA (‘Ask me anything’) thread on Reddit.
According to a social media post announcing the record, the new project has been in the works for two years, and features the band backed by an orchestra. “HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!!!” wrote vocalist and guitarist Stu Mackenzie. “A lot of love and time and energy and patience and growth went into this one. Can’t wait to grow wings and fly with all of you.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Previously, King Gizzard had unveiled the album’s title track in October, giving fans a taste of what to expect from their next release. “So our last album was 10 songs. Except we recorded 20 in that session. Here’s a track from the other set of 10,” Mackenzie explained. “It’s even more maxxed out than the last one. There’s a whole fuckin’ orchestra on there. Hahahahahah!
Trending on Billboard
“But for real, what a joy to be alive. A privilege to be making music for a living and to be here still after all these years. If you’ve been listening to Gizz for a long time, thank you. We love you so much. If you’re just tuning in, welcome to the cult.”
King Gizzard formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2010 and swiftly became one of the country’s most prolific groups, with both 2017 and 2022 seeing the band release five albums within the span of a year.
Despite their extensive output, the band have not yet topped the charts in their homeland (though they would hit No. 2 on four separate occasions). In the U.S., the band peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard 200 with 2019’s Infest the Rats’ Nest, while their voracious fanbase has also seen the majority of their releases chart on the Top Album Sales chart.
In January, King Gizzard were also listed on the lineup for the 2025 edition of Bonnaroo, performing three sets over three days as part of the inaugural ‘Roo Residency.
Prolific Australian collective King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have shared a new performance of some of their recnt material, collaborating with the Songs for Kids Band in the process.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The performance was recorded ahead of the band’s concert at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA, on Nov. 19, and was made as part of the Songs for Kids Band’s YOUNG series.
As per the Songs for Kids Foundation’s website, the organization “provides music mentorship and interactive programs for kids and young adults with illnesses, injuries, and disabilities”, with a goal in focusing on “creative expression [and] encourage exploration in a safe space”. Meanwhile, the Songs for Kids Band aims to emphasize “the power of teamwork and support for each other, bringing together kids that would otherwise be on a more solitary journey”.
So far, the Songs for Kids Band’s YOUNG series has seen them perform renditions of songs by names such as Weezer, Tiny Habits, Noah Kahan, and Waxahatchee to name a few. Occasionally, some of these performances see the Songs for Kids Band joined by the original artists themselves, with the likes of the Backstreet Boys and My Morning Jacket having collaborated previously.
Trending on Billboard
The latest addition to the series sees King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and members of the Songs for Kids Band sharing a rendition of “Flight b741”, the title track from the Australian band’s 26th studio album, released in August.
King Gizzard’s Flight b741 was recently nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2024 ARIA Awards (ultimately losing to Royel Otis’ Pratts & Pain), having previously charted at No. 8 on the Australian ARIA charts, and peaking at No. 118 on the Billboard 200.
With only one studio album released in the past year, King Gizzard are currently celebrating their least-prolific period since 2020. In 2022 alone, the band released a total of five albums, having achieved a similar milestone back in 2017. Of their last 14 records, only one has charted outside of the Australian top 50, and only one other has charted outside of the top ten.
-
Pages