Brutus have today shared their brand new single ‘Dust’ (via Hassle Records/Sargent House), demonstrating an elevation in their boundary-breaking ambition. It represents the first new music from the band – Stefanie Mannaerts (vocals, drums), Stijn Vanhoegaerden (guitar) and Peter Mulders (bass) – since 2020’s stand-alone track ‘Sand’.
On ‘Dust’, Stefanie’s voice has grown in stature and control as she explores the feeling of being drained by the changing demands of a particularly intense friendship. Powerful and self-possessed, the track concludes with a drifting, post-rock coda that gradually diminishes to silence.
Commenting on ‘Dust’, the band said, “‘DUST’ was born out of the frustration of having friends with demands and expectations that were way too high. It’s a song about being at breaking point; pissed off about everything and everyone. ‘DUST’ is honest, direct and unfiltered. It’s a very special and personal song for us, which is why we wanted this to be the first new song for people to hear.”
Brutus’s previous studio albums – ‘Burst’ and ‘Nest’ – have seen the Belgian trio win widespread admiration for their, brave emotionally charged mix of hardcore, metal, post-rock and shoegaze. Earning critical acclaim across Europe and the States, the band have played shows with Deftones, Chelsea Wolfe, Thrice and Russian Circles, as well as paise from fellow musicians such as Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro), Ben Koller (Converge) and Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan).
‘Dust’ was written as part of the new album sessions in a rehearsal space in Ghent. Those sessions were completed episodically over the course of 18 months. That timeline was fractured by both lengthy breaks due to lockdown, as well as the band’s focus on simply enjoying the otherwise ordinary moments of their friendship.
Expect to hear more news regarding new music from Brutus soon.
In the meantime, today also sees Brutus announce a run of UK shows in November, their first tour in more than three years, an experience which can be revisited within their ‘Live in Ghent’ album. Tickets for the shows, listed below, go on general sale at 10am on Thursday Juen 30th from here.
NOVEMBER
16th The Fleece – Bristol
17th Rebellion – Manchester
18th Audio – Glasgow
19th Lending Room – Leeds
21st Patterns – Brighton
22nd The Garage – London
