GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT “Route 666” premiere from upcoming Live Studio album

This Friday July 15, Irish post-rock maestros God Is An Astronaut release a very special anniversary album: With 20 years and a solid collection of acclaimed masterful albums to their name, the quartet come full circle with their new live studio epos , The beginning of the end. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the album features modern transformations of all the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolving changes throughout. along the band’s years of live performances. while letting the original melodies and writing shine through.

To shorten your wait until the record finally arrives this Friday via Napalm Records, today God Is An Astronaut premiered a brand new music video for their classic “Route 666.” The new live studio version kicks off with its lauded synth and dark wave beat, taking the listener on a journey into the otherworldly sounds that God Is An Astronaut has crafted over two decades.

“‘Route 666’ is God Is An Astronaut’s oldest song. It was written in 1999 before God Is An Astronaut was formed,” Torsten Kinsella reveals.

“Niels and I originally came up with the name/subject after watching American televangelist Don Stewart throw his Green Prosperity Prayer Handkerchief on TV, which we obviously found ridiculous, equally entertaining and humorous.

“In the beginning, when we were playing ‘Route 666’ live, we used old film clips from the 1968 horror movie The Devil Rides Out. Needless to say, the whole vibe was satirical.

God Is An Astronaut’s forthcoming release offers a sonic glimpse into the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Stage classics such as “From Dust to the Beyond”, “Coda or “Route 666” can be heard in a new light, with clear and transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated Additionally, in addition to these live expansions, technical advancements have been applied to each track.Initially limited to a simple keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feel, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.

Niels adds, “When we recorded The End of the Beginning, we only had limited equipment; we couldn’t even record full live performances,” reveals bassist Niels Kinsella. “The Beginning Of The End gave us the opportunity to perform the entire album live and allowed us to bring more feeling and expression to the music and songs. We are very happy to share this with everyone.”

The release of The Beginning Of The End couldn’t be more relevant than in these current dark times. Themes of war are surprisingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned ‘From Dust To The Beyond’, as well as the album’s title track ‘The End Of The Beginning’ – named after a quote attributed to the Prime Minister Winston Churchill at the time of World War II. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a provocative message that the power of music transcends war and time.

Torsten Kinsella adds: “From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we now see the same thing unfold once again.”

The Beginning Of The End will be available in these different formats in various territories:

– 1 CD Digisleeve
– 2LP Gatefold Black
– 2LP Gatefold Gold – limited to 300
– 2LP Gatefold Marbled Orange Transparent & Black – limited to 500
– Shirt & 2LP Gatefold in Black
– Shirt & Digisleeve
– Digital scrapbook

Pre-order here.

List of tracks from beginning to end:

“The End of the Beginning”
“From Dust to the Beyond”
“Rise to Oblivion”
“Coda”
“Memory”
“Pleasant point”
“Falling Stars”
“Dusk”
“Coma”
“Route 666”
“Lost Symphony”

“Route 666”:

Video “From dust to the afterlife”:

Line up:

Torsten Kinsella – Guitar, Piano/Synths
Niels Kinsella – Bass
Lloyd Hanney – Drums
Jamie Dean – Guitar, Piano

(Photo – Brian Meade)

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