Spirit of Unicorn Music are delighted to announce a brand new album from District 97, “Stay for the Ending”, pre-orders for which have opened today. The new studio album will be released on October 20th, 2023.
Featuring 10 brand new tracks, the album is the culmination of everything this Chicago-based prog rock ensemble has worked towards during their last 15 years. Formed in Autumn 2006, the band draws influences from a diverse array of musical styles, from heavy metal to avant-garde jazz. This broad appreciation of musical genres has continued to inform the band’s latest work and sees them further develop their sound and songwriting to ambitious new levels: upping their game in the areas of composition, performance, arrangement, production and sonics.
“Stay for the Ending” traverses a vast array of themes with songs exploring the human condition: unity, division, deceit, obsession, detachment, resilience and transcendence. Drummer and percussionist Jonathan Schang said: “After 15 years of leading District 97, I’m thrilled that we continue to push ourselves to new heights in every realm of our music making. This is the strongest collection of songs we’ve ever assembled”.
The album has been recorded, mixed and mastered by Noam Wallenberg (Alan Parsons, Mac Miller). Lead vocalist Leslie Hunt (American Idol Female Vocal Finalist 2007) commented: “This record represents us at our most collaborative and dynamic. We tried some new things and chased different aesthetics than we have in the past and I think the result is our best sounding album to date with some of our strongest compositions”.
Friend of the band, Bill Bruford (King Crimson, YES, Gong, Bruford) agrees. In response to hearing the new album, he said: “Quality, expertise and passion – ‘Stay for the Ending’ is a massive piece, of which District 97 should feel justly proud”.
The Autumn sees the band undertake a number of live shows in the US and Europe, including playing The Bedford in Balham, South London on Sunday 10th September. Schang continues: “I can’t wait for the music world at large to hear it both on record and on stage”.
Pre-order “Stay for the Ending” here.
Tracklist:
1. Stay for the Ending
2. Mirror
3. Many New Things
4. Crossover
5. Divided We Fall
6. Life Cycle
7. X
8. X-Faded
9. Deck is Stacked
10. The Watcher
Live Shows 2023:
18th August – Martyrs’, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2nd September – 2 Days + 1 Festival, Veruno, Italy
7th September – Das Rind, Russelsheim, Germany
8th/9th September – Steve Rothery Band Weekend, Poppodium Boerderij, Zoetemeer, Netherlands
10th September – A Sunday in September, The Bedford, London
Line-up:
Leslie Hunt – Vocals
Andrew Lawrence – Keyboards
Jim Tashjian – Guitars, Vocals
Tim Seisser – Bass Guitar
Jonathan Schang – Drums & Percussion
