(PR) After a five-year hiatus and a successful run with Army of Anyone, Richard Patrick has reclaimed his legacy with Filter for Anthems For The Damned, due out May 13 on Pulse Recordings. Produced by Josh Abraham (Slayer, 30 Seconds to Mars, Velvet Revolver, Staind, Courtney Love), Patrick calls Anthems For The Damned his "howl in the night," a harsh indictment of civilization that doesn't exclude himself from its vision of a world falling apart. The album's first single "Soldiers of Misfortune" will be available digitally on April 15. Patrick describes the soaring anthem--with its U2/Bowie flavor and stacked backdrop of buzzing electric guitars--as a "sardonic anti-war/pro-troops song." The first-person narrative was inspired by a letter from a Filter fan who had enlisted in the Army reserves to get his college tuition paid; in his final year of college, he was shipped off to Iraq where he died from a rocket attack and small arms fire after just a few days of duty.
Most recently, former Filter bassist--now Army Sergeant--Frank Cavanagh traveled to Kuwait to join his former band on Filter's "Hey Man Nice Shot" for the Operation MySpace concert. Cavanagh--who is due to begin his tour of duty later this month--was authorized by the U.S. Army to join the band so that he could be a part of this memorable performance.
"I love the Army and I love Filter," Cavanagh said. "To be able to join Richard and my former band for the first time in nearly six years is a huge honor. To perform this song with the band in Kuwait holds a truly special meaning for me, as I am able to share the musical part of my life with my brothers and sisters who are serving our country."
Filter frontman Richard Patrick said, "It was an honor for us to perform for the troops in Kuwait at the Operation MySpace concert. Having my former bandmate and current enlisted Army Sergeant Frank Cavanagh on stage next to me made this a show that I will remember for the rest of my life."
Anthems For The Damned features such collaborators as guitarist/songwriter John 5, guitarist Wes Borland and drummer Josh Freese and marks Filter's first release in five years since The Amalgamut. Pointed and passionate, the new album traces Patrick's own anger and shame with the state of things, from the intense alternative industrial blast of "The Take," "What's Next" and "Hatred is Contagious," the ultimate resignation of "Kill the Day" and "Lie After Lie" to the tentative hope expressed by "Only You" and the ambient soundscape of the closing "Can Stop This."
TOUR DATES AS OF 3/24/08- SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE:
Apr 12 The FX Channel
Apr 24 Stubbs Austin, Texas
Apr 26 The Woodlands...Buzzfest Houston, Texas
Apr 27 KDGE-Edge-fest Pizza Hut Frisco, Texas
May 9 Band Camp Jacksonville, Florida
May 13 Record Release Party and Performance Mercury Lounge New York, New York
May 17 ROCK ON THE RANGE--CREW STADIUM Columbus, Ohio
May 18 Pointfest Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis, Missouri
Jun 1 WBCN's River Rave Tweeter Center Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 6 Rock im Park Nurnberg, Germany
Jun 8 Rock am Ring Nurburgring, Germany
Jun 9 Islington Academy London, London and South East
