Lightning Bolt will release their Fantasy Empire 2xLP on March 23/24th via Thrill Jockey. This will be the band’s first long-player in the last five years, and, recorded at Rhode Island’s esteemed Machines With Magnets, the double album will mark the duo’s first proper studio recording. Using hi-fidelity equipment and complete separation of their two instruments, drummer Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson are still able to push their sound just beyond the breaking point–furious and combustible like their live shows–while still capturing their sonically frayed textures with clarity and precision. This is evident on the album’s first taste, “The Metal East“, which blisters with ear splitting electricity, while showcasing Lightning Bolt’s amazing virtuosity. While those technical chops were never lost on any true fan of the band, it’s awesome to finally hear the duo in this way, with all the fire, grit, and punishing low end of their music rendered with excellent detail. Lightning Bolt heads out on a fairly extensive US tour this coming April. Here are the dates…
April 15 – Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place
April 16 – Columbus, OH – Double Happiness
April 17 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
April 18 – Ferndale, MI – The Loving Touch
April 19 – Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle
April 20 – Saint Paul, MN – Turf Club
April 21 – St. Louis, MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts
April 22 – Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Music Hall
April 24 – Denver, CO – GLOB
April 25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
April 27 – Boise, ID – The Shredder
April 28 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
April 29 – Portland, OR – Dantes
May 1 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
May 2 – Oakland, CA – Leo’s
May 3 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
May 4 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
May 5 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
May 6 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
May 8 – Austin, TX – Austin Psych Fest
May 9 – New Orleans, LA – Siberia
May 10 – Atlanta, GA – Mammal Gallery
May 11 – Raleigh, NC – Kings
May 12 – Washington, D.C. – Rock & Roll Hotel
May 13 – Baltimore, MD – Floristree
May 14 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
May 15 – Brooklyn, NY – The Wick
May 16 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
