Primus return with new album The Desaturating Seven

Primus
Primus

Primus have announced their return with a new single and news about their upcoming ninth studio album.

The trio of vocalist and bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Tim Alexander will release The Desaturating Seven on September 29 via ATO Records – and they’ve marked the announcement with a stream of new track The Seven.

The follow-up to 2014’s Primus And The Chocolate Factory With The Fungi Ensemble was inspired by a 70s children’s book that Claypool read to his kids when they were growing up.

The book tells a story of seven goblins – one representing each colour of the rainbow – who simultaneously draw all of the colour out of the world.

Claypool explains: “Many years ago when my children were little kidlets scurrying around the place wreaking havoc and whatnot until it was time for bed and book time, my wife turned them on to a book called The Rainbow Goblins by Ul De Rico.

“The dark imagery and beauty of the art struck me immediately and I thought, ‘This would make good fodder for a piece of music.’

“The use of colour and darkness both in the paintings and the writing was compelling and now, near two decades later, the metaphor of greed, gluttony and deceit versus the unity of the masses is eerily relevant.

“I brought the notion to the Primus guys and they were all for it. Plus, I figured it’s about time someone brought ‘Goblin Rock’ back to the fold.”

The Desaturated Seven will be released on standard formats along with two vinyl pressings – a limited edition desaturated version with colourless packaging complete with a white vinyl, and a version with full colour sleeve and clear vinyl with rainbow splatter.

The Desaturating Seven is now available for pre-order.

Primus are currently on tour across the US with Clutch and have further live dates planned throughout the rest of the year.

Primus The Desaturating Seven tracklist

  1. The Valley
  2. The Seven
  3. The Trek
  4. The Scheme
  5. The Dream
  6. The Storm
  7. The Ends?

Primus 2017 tour dates

Aug 01: Milwaukee Eagles Ballroom, WI (With Clutch)
Aug 02: Mankato Vetter Stone Amphitheater, MN (With Clutch)
Aug 04: Cedar Rapids McGrath Amphitheater, IA (With Clutch)
Aug 05: Kansas City Crossroads, MO (With Clutch)
Aug 06: Dallas South Side Ballroom, TX (With Clutch)
Aug 08: Tempe Marquee Theater, AZ (With Clutch)
Aug 09: Las Vegas The Joint, NV (With Clutch)
Aug 11: Bonner Kettlehouse Amphitheater, MT (With Clutch)
Aug 12: Troutdale Edgefield, OR (With Clutch)
Aug 13: Eugene Cuthbert Amphitheater, OR (With Clutch)
Aug 15: Seattle Marymoor Park, WA (With Clutch)
Aug 17: Stateline Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, NV (With Clutch)
Aug 18: Berkeley Greek Theater, CA (With Clutch)
Oct 20: San Antonio Sunken Gardens, TX
Oct 21: Houston White Oak Lawn, TX
Oct 22: Austin City Limits Live, TX
Oct 24: Nashville War Memorial, TN
Oct 27: Albany Palace Theater, NY
Oct 28: Washington The Anthem, DC (With Clutch)
Oct 29: Port Chester Capitol Theater, NY
Oct 31: Brooklyn Brooklyn Steel, NY
Nov 02: Akron Goodyear Theater, OH
Nov 03: Cincinnati The Taft Theater, OH
Nov 04: Louisville Palace Theater, KY
Nov 05: St. Louis Peabody Theater, MO
Nov 07: Knoxville Tennessee Theater, TN
Nov 09: Atlanta Tabernacle, GA
Nov 10: Orlando Hard Rock Hotel, FL
Nov 11: Clearwater Ruth Eckerd Hall, FL
Nov 13: New Orleans Civic Theatre, LA
Dec 29: Los Angeles The Wiltern, CA
Dec 30: Los Angeles The Wiltern, CA

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Scott Munro
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Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.