Howling Giant drop the gloriously catchy “Canyons” from the cosmic stoner metal trio’s forthcoming studio album “Crucible & Ruin”.
The third full-length by the Nashville, Tennessee band is scheduled for release on October 31st, 2025, via Magnetic Eye Records.
Listen to “Canyons” below.
Howling Giant comments: “Our new album’s opening track ‘Canyons’ is a fast paced exploration of a planet abandoned by its celestial origin”, guitarist and singer Tom Polzine writes. “To me, this song feels like a transforming adventure unfolding with each riff, from high gain rhythmic passages to the shimmering acoustic outro. We’re so stoked to show you guys this first glimpse of our new record, and ‘Canyons’ is in many ways the perfect gateway to all the ideas and concepts that live within ‘Crucible & Ruin’”.
Tracklist
01. Canyons
02. Hunter’s Mark
03. Archon
04. Lesser Gods
05. Beholder I: Downfall
06. Archivist
07. Scepter and Scythe
08. Melchor’s Bones
09. The Observatory
10. Beholder II: Labyrinth
Howling Giant take another huge step on their third full-length album “Crucible & Ruin”, a collection of sparking ideas, captivating melodies, and heavy riffing close to perfection – quite a feat of on-point songwriting for such a still young band!
This is the band’s first album to feature new fourth member Adrian Lee Zambrano. Although the guitarist and synth player arrived somewhat toward the end of the writing process, he was still able to add his mark with cool textures on the record. The extra guitar certainly adds even more punch to Howling Giant’s sound, which delivers a slightly more aggressive approach compared with predecessor “Glass Future” (2023).
It also helped the overall feel of “Crucible & Ruin” that this is the band’s first album to be entirely recorded in a proper studio setting as opposed to their home studio, “the bunker”. Howling Giant even leaned into some raw band live takes to capture the emotion in the room.
Lyrically, “Crucible & Ruin” explores the story of the clash of a novice deity against the forces of primordial chaos as an overarching theme that loosely connects the songs. This is also reflected in the album artwork, which was painted by the mother of guitarist and vocalist Tom Polzine, featuring a unique style of alcohol ink on yupo paper.
Howling Giant hail from Nashville, Tennessee, USA, sidestepping the self-proclaimed Music City’s assembly line of modern pop country while taking inspiration from the brilliant songwriters and virtuoso session players that keep the town’s musical legacy burning bright. Fertile ground for a preeminent fuzz-psych power trio, now turned quartet, who consciously live in the pocket of that lineage!
Following a trilogy of EPs, “Howling Giant” (2015), “Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1” (2016), and “Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 2” (2017), Howling Giant struck a chord with critics and fans on their debut full-length “The Space between Worlds” in 2019. “Glass Future” proved a gargantuan leap for the band that now featured Sebastian Baltes, son of legendary Accept bass master Peter Baltes. Released in 2023, “Glass Future” brought their outstanding musicianship and triple vocal attack fully into stride.
Howling Giant storm forward once more in defiant refusal to remain still. Having grown into a four-piece as well as in their prowess as musicians and songwriters, “Crucible & Ruin” is an album at least as big as their name. Don’t take our word for it, just give it a spin – or two or three…
Line-up:
Tom Polzine – Guitar, vocals
Zach Wheeler – Drums, vocals
Sebastian Baltes – Bass, vocals
Adrian Lee Zambrano – Guitars, synthesizers
Guest musicians:
Kim Wheeler – additional synths and EWI on “The Observatory”
Adam Nohe – additional percussion on “Beholder I: Downfall”
Produced by Neil Tuuri, Kim Wheeler, and James Sanderson
Engineered by Neil Tuuri at Amish Electric Chair Studios, Athens, OH (US)
Additional vocal tracking by Kim Wheeler in Nashville, TN (US)
Mixed by Neil Tuuri at Amish Electric Chair Studios, Athens, OH (US)
Mastering by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Mastering, Portland, OR (US)
Artwork by Susan M. Davies
Layout by Łukasz Jaszak
US Live Shows 2025:
14 Aug 2025 Lexington, KY (US) Al’s Bar
15 Aug 2025 Pittsburgh, PA (US) Squirrel Hill Sports Bar
16 Aug 2025 Columbus, OH (US) Blockout Bash
(w/ Brujas del Sol & Horseburner)
US Festival 2025:
30 Aug 2025 Cookeville, TN (US) June Bug Boogie Ranch, Muddy Roots Festival
US Live Shows 2025:
01 Oct 2025 Asheville, NC (US) Eulogy
02 Oct 2025 Raleigh, NC (US) Chapel of Bones
03 Oct 2025 Charlottesville, VA (US) The Southern Cafe and Music Hall
(w/ Castle Rat)
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/howlinggiant
www.instagram.com/howlinggiant
