There’s no bad time for new music by Strung Out, but the start of 2024 seems like a particularly apt moment. The second single from the California band’s forthcoming tenth album Dead Rebellion, “New Gods,” is emblematic of the purposeful, empowering, and thought-provoking punk that Strung Out have been making for 35 years now. Equal parts aggressive and melodic, it’s a song full of both hope and despair that reflects the troubled times we find ourselves living in, and the effect that has on us as humans.
Though the band insist they’re not a political act, their songs have always perfectly captured the zeitgeist, especially in troubled times. And let’s face it, the perennial onslaught of American imperialism, neoliberalism, and capitalism—not to mention the military-industrial complex at the heart of it all and the ongoing existential threat of climate change—means we’re always in troubled times, and more so now than ever. And yet—as this song and its video shows—despite all that, there’s still room for hope, for community, for defiance, and for the power of music to help us through it all. After all, when the empire collapses, the world will still be here.
“New Gods are the things we live for that get us through the day, everyday,” explains frontman Jason Cruz. “Against all the odds, they give us hope and purpose. They can be songs, ideas, or a helping hand from a friend or stranger. We wanted the video to represent the feeling of being inspired, as well as the feeling of inspiring, and passing the torch. To begin something new. To live as a creative force in a world constantly destroying itself. “
Watch the video below. Dead Rebellion lands April 5 via Fat Wreck Chords—you can pre-order the record here, and find the band on tour surrounding that date here.
