"We wanted to create something almost joyous in its disgust at the world." Benefits share new single Relentless, featuring The Libertines' Pete Doherty, announce new album Constant Noise, UK tour plan
Benefits have shared a new single, Relentless, featuring a guest cameo from The Libertines co-frontman Pete Doherty: the duo have also revealed details of their forthcoming second album, Constant Noise.
The Teeside-based will release Constant Noise on Invada Records on March 21 next year. Relentless is the second single previewing the record, with Kingsley Hall and Robbie Major's band having released its first single, Land Of The Tyrants in September. "The song is about craving for a past you had that exists perhaps solely in your memory. Yearning your lost youth, when things seemed easier,"says Kingsley Hall. "Getting Peter Doherty involved was important not just because he's a legendary performer but also because he was a hero to both of us when we were getting into music, linking in with the theme of the song.
"Peter and the Libertines were integral to our musical education and love of music, like it or not, he's a hugely important factor as to why we do what we do. He's part of our past and we're honoured and humbled that he agreed to participate in our future."
Listen to Relentless below.
Talking about his band's evolution on Constant Noise, Hall adds, "We felt there was no point in just repeating the first album. We've never been ones for simply sticking in our lane, plus, it's been a tough few years – I've forgotten how many times we've been praised and written off in equal measure. This band is a battle.
"We're still angry and Constant Noise is an angry album. Just angry in a different way to before. There's plenty of bands around who are more overt and obvious in their rage – just as we were on our debut – and that's fine, we just wanted to develop something beyond that. We wanted to create something almost joyous in its disgust at the world. If the previous record was black and white, we wanted this to be technicolour. "None of this sounds joyous, but believe me, it is," he continues. "We strived for a dark euphoria, plus it was a thrill to make. It's an album we're all immensely proud of. We knew it was going to be a risk to go against the formula of our debut, especially as it was so well received by critics, but we never wanted this band to become predictable or get stuck in a rut."
Benefits have also announced a UK your, to follow the release of Constant Noise. They will play: Apr 22: Hebden BridgeTrades Club Apr 23: Hull Social Apr 24: Nottingham Bodega Apr 25: London Lexington Apr 26: Bristol Louisiana Apr 27: Birmingham Hare & Hounds Apr 28: Leicester Firebug Apr 29: Glasgow Rum Shack Apr 30: Leeds Attic
May 01: Manchester The White Hotel May 02: Gateshead Glasshouse
