Styx has unveiled details about its forthcoming new studio album, which is titled Crash of the Crown and will be released on June 18.
Crash of the Crown, Styx's 17th studio effort, is a follow-up to the band's 2017 concept album The Mission. Work on the new project began in 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the band wound up having to finish the record remotely because of the health crisis.
The 15-track collection, which can be pre-ordered here and at StyxWorld.com, is available on CD, digitally and as a vinyl LP pressed on either black or clear vinyl.
Styx has released the album's title track as an advance digital single. The multi-part song is the group's first to feature three lead vocalists, starting with James "JY" Young in the first segment, followed by Tommy Shaw in the middle part and ending with Lawrence Gowan in the Queen-esque finale.
"I'm always looking for the one different thing we can do and still have it be Styx," notes Gowan, "and that's the song I'm most proud of. The beauty of it is that it's the culmination of all our talents crammed together into one song, Abbey Road-style."
The album features songs focused on offering a message of positivity and hope, while acknowledging the current darkness and conflict affecting much of the world at this time.
"We've never been a protest band. We're more like a gospel caravan trying to send out positive messages wherever we go," explains Shaw. "In order to share those positive messages, you have to look at what the problems are first to figure out all the ways you can help make sure everything's going to be alright."
Here's the full track list of Crash of the Crown:
"The Fight of Our Lives"
"A Monster"
"Reveries"
"Hold Back the Darkness"
"Save Us from Ourselves"
"Crash of the Crown"
"Our Wonderful Lives"
"Common Ground"
"Sound the Alarm"
"Long Live the King"
"Lost at Sea"
"Coming Out the Other Side"
"To Those"
"Another Farewell"
"Stream"
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
