The Church Announce New Album ‘Further Deeper’, Debut New Song: Australian rock vets give details of first studio release since 2009.

Next month, Australian alt-psych veterans The Church will release ‘Further Deeper’, their 25th studio album. The release will be available in Australia and New Zealand on October 17th (with release dates for other markets forthcoming.)

Those who pre-order the album (available on CD, vinyl and digital formats) will get an instant download of the first single, ‘Pride Before The Fall’, (which you can preview below via Soundcloud). Pre-orders will also come with bonus track ‘The Girl Is Buoyant.’

Listen to ‘Pride Before The Fall’ on Soundcloud below:

This will be the first album featuring new guitarist Ian Haug (Powderfinger). Haug replaces long-time guitarist Marty Willson-Piper. This shakeup in the lineup, and a fractious relationship to their former label threatened the future of the band (as noted in my exclusive interview with frontman Steve Kilbey).

Click here to read Part 1 of my interview with Steve Kilbey, and click here for Part 2

This makes ‘Further Deeper’ hugely anticipated by longtime fans, many of whom will be anxious to see how the band has held up under Haug.

My first impression of the new song is one heavily drenched in dream pop atmospherics, and less focused on the twin guitar interplay of albums past with featured Willson-Piper and guitarist Peter Koppes (who returns for this release).

The band will play a handful of Australian gigs performing ‘Further Deeper’ in it’s entirety which are listed below:

The Church tour dates:

Oct. 24: Anu Bar, Canberra, Australia
Oct. 25: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, Australia
Oct. 31: Ormond Hall, Melbourne, Australia
Nov. 1: The Old Museum, Brisbane, Australia

Tell us you thoughts on the new single in the comments. I’ll have an album review forthcoming upon its release.