HIGHLY SUSPECT, the trailblazing rock outfit comprised of Johnny Stevens (vocals, guitar),Ryan Meyer (drums, vocals),Rich Meyer (bass, vocals),Matt Kofos (guitar) and Mark Schwartz (keyboards/guitars),will release its new album, “As Above, So Below”, on July 19 via Roadrunner/300/Elektra. Known for defying conventions and embracing their own sonic instincts, this forthcoming LP promises to continue the band’s tradition of pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo within the rock genre.
With “As Above, So Below”, HIGHLY SUSPECT invites listeners on a sonic journey that blends their trademark gritty guitars, haunting piano melodies, and off-kilter synths with a newfound sense of introspection and exploration. This album is poised to captivate both longtime fans and newcomers alike with its raw energy and thought-provoking lyricism.
To celebrate the news of “As Above, So Below”, HIGHLY SUSPECT is unveiling the first single, “Summertime Voodoo”.
“If my life is a book, then this album is the first chapter that truly addresses the central conflict,” says Johnny Stevens. “The recognition of an ego, the problems its caused — and the birth of its death.
“If I’m being real, I hit rock bottom again. After another close call with death, I feel wide awake. I don’t know how the book ends yet, but I’m very engaged in the plot now. I’d rather it not end at all.
“For the past few years I don’t think I gave a shit one way or the other. Like Thom once said — ‘for a minute there I lost myself.’ ‘Summertime Voodoo’ is the introductory paragraph to this chapter.
“We didn’t know which song to put out first, so this time, instead of trying to guess which one sounds most like a single, we just decided it makes the most sense to start at the top of the story.”
HIGHLY SUSPECT will embark on a select series of tour dates across the United States this summer. These shows promise to be electrifying experiences, as the band will play the entire “As Above, So Below” LP from front to back.
Tour dates:
July 24 – Memphis, TN – Growlers
July 25 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
July 26 – Chicago, IL – Outset
July 27 – Flint, MI – The Machine Shop
July 29 – Detroit, MI – El Club
August 1 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
August 2 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall Of Williamsburg
“As Above, So Below” track listing:
01. Summertime Voodoo
02. Suicide Machine
03. The Blue-Eyed Devil
04. Mexico
05. Plastic Boxes
06. Melatonia
07. The Reset
08. Run For Your Death (More Pills)
09. Champagne At Our Funeral
10. The 8th Of October (To August 17th)
11. Then, Mickey 2
Never content to follow, HIGHLY SUSPECT push rock music forward by trusting their instincts and raising a middle finger to everything else. The multi-Grammy Award-nominated and gold-certified band don’t just talk about burning the rules and breaking the mold; they actually do so.
The band’s chemically imbalanced mix of gritty guitars, haunting piano, off-kilter synths, hip-hop production, cinematic vision, and beautifully possessed vocals transformed them into a phenomenon beloved by a diehard global fanbase known as “MCID” (My Crew Is Dope). After grinding it out as an underground curiosity, they scraped a path to mainstream infamousness with their 2015 full-length debut, “Mister Asylum”. It earned a Grammy Award nomination in the category of “Best Rock Album” as the single “Lydia” received a nomination for “Best Rock Song” was certified gold by the RIAA.
The 2016 follow-up “The Boy Who Died Wolf” roared to life with the gold-selling “My Name Is Human”, which catapulted to #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and garnered a Grammy nomination for “Best Rock Song.” 2019’s “MCID” affirmed them as the rare outfit who could collaborate with Young Thug and GOJIRA on the same album. Loudwire hailed the latter among the “50 Best Rock Albums Of 2019.”
With hundreds of millions of streams and sold out shows on multiple continents, HIGHLY SUSPECT charged ahead of the pack again on 2022’s “The Midnight Demon Club” with no compromises and no apologies as they challenged rock to be dangerous and maybe even life-changing again. Now in 2024, they are gearing up to share their latest opus, “As Above, So Below”.
Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine
