With 17years under their belt including6acclaimed studio albums,fiveJuno Award nominations,andcountless tours around the globe, Canadian hardcorepunkheavyweights,Cancer Batsarea well-knownforce within the world of heavy music.On theirseventh studio album,PSYCHIC JAILBREAK(outApril15via their own labelBat Skull Recordsin partnership withNew Damage Records),the belovedmetalstalwartsfoundthemselves once againstepping intonew territory as a band, writing and recording as athree-piece following the departureof founding member and guitarist Scott Middleton,whilenavigatingaglobal pandemic.“On October 26th 2021 we started making a record,” shareslead vocalist LiamCormier. “This was the7th studio album for Cancer Bats but it was the first time the 3 of us,Jaye Schwarzer, Mike Peters andmyselfLiamCormier,were going to record an album, we had written just the three of us. Jaye coveringboth guitar andbass duties, all three of us learning how to use digital means to record and arrange ideasfrom our separate provinces.”Cormier continues, “We knew this album had to be special. Our band has never been one sole membertasked with all the writing.Overthe last 15 years ofreleasing albums, it’s been a collaboration of the 4 ofus forming all musical ideas.That being said, we knew that the 3 remaining Bats, would have to prove ourworth with this next album. We wanted to show Cancer Bats fans that anexciting new future was in storefor us.To say the stakes were high on this album,would be an understatement.We were all feeling a mixof excitement and nerves as we began tracking the 11 songs that would form this record.”Once again enlisting the watchful eyes and ears of producer JP Peters (Propagandhi) at his studioPrivate Ear in Winnipeg, MB, Cancer Bats were looking to step up their gameon their latest recordandwere eager to pushbeyondwhat they had achieved on theirlaststudioalbum, 2018’s critically-acclaimed,commercially successful and Juno nominated albumThe Spark That Moves.“The Spark That Moves saw the band playing bigger shows and festival slots than we had done inyears,”shares Cormier.“With packed shows across Canada, TheUK, Europe and Australia, the bar hadbeen raised for Cancer Bats and we were eager to surpass that, with this new set of songs.”Over the next three weeks,Cormier, Schwarzer and Peters saw theirrough ideasexchanged in emailsevolvefrom Garage Band home demosintothundering Cancer Bats songs. One after another, boxeswere being ticked, Mike’s signature power house of drums laid the foundation, as track after track ofJaye’s guitars were layered on top of another, all whiletheyreferencedtheirfavouriteEntombed,MetallicaandWhite Zombieguitar tones.All of this fuellingCormier’s vocalfire, inspiringhimto fully pushwhathehad to offer both in lyrics and screams.

 

“Thematically there was no shortage of inspiration for this album, with somuch happening over the lasttwo years, it would be hard to not have that effect my writing,”says Cormier.“With songs like “Radiate"dealing with our impact on the physical world, to "Friday Night" drawing inspiration from activism anddemonstrations happening all over, to more personal songs like “Crocodiles" about losing touch withpeople as we grow older and changingour perspectives, or a song liketitle track"Psychic Jailbreak"where it’s about completely shifting our concepts of Time and Space as we know them.”As vocal melodiesbegantaking shape and adding different dynamicsinto the mixlike Brooklyn Doransinging a duet style on“Hammering On”, or Jaye’s distinct snarls filling out many a chorus, the wholealbum was starting to register as one of the best projectsthe bandhas everworked on.“On the final days,while adding the last bits of “skateboard noises” and guitar shreds, we were all feelingour confidence levels rise with each play back.This lastyears’ worthof long hours and many late nightswriting, finally coming together as a whole and fully formed effort.We were proud as a band and felt thisnew offering was worthy to join in the legacy of Cancer Bats albums.”Being known firstand foremost as a live band, Cancer Bats have been asked countless times who will fillthe position of Scott Middleton on guitar. Long-time friend, Wade McNeil (Alexisonfire, Dooms Children,Gallows) helped fill the void, shredding alongside Cancer Bats in2019 while Scott was at home with hisnew baby son. But as the band readies to hit the road once again they will be enlisting not one, but twoguitar players!“The first isourlong-time friend and recent collaborator Nick Sherman, who joineduson guitar forourlatest acoustic renditions of classic Bats tunes,”shares Cormier.“The second isourfriend Stevis Harrisonwho currently plays guitar in Fever 333 and played in The Chariot when we toured together back in2010.Having shared stages with both ofthem and more importantly shared countless laughs and goodtimes, we decided it made more sense to have 2 epic players along for this new chapter of the band.”“With 2022 already filling up with show and festival offers, this looks to be an exciting andpromising yearfor the band that we can’t wait to tear into.SEE YOU IN THE PIT!”