And yea, did two of noise rock’s finest return: Brians Chippendale and Gibson, together trading as Lightning Bolt, have announced that they’ll be putting out Fantasy Empire on March 23 via Thrill Jockey. It’s the follow-up to 2009’s Earthly Delights and marks their first for the Chicago imprint. Say the latter: "Fantasy Empire is ferocious, consuming, and is a more accurate translation of their live experience. It also shows Lightning Bolt embracing new ways to make their music even stranger. More than any previous album, this one sounds like Chippendale and Gibson are playing just a few feet away, using the clarity afforded by the studio to amplify the intensity they project."
The band members have kept themselves busy: Chippendale (who designed the album’s artwork) with his Black Pus project and Gibson developing a new video game, Drool, set to surface in 2016. For the time being, relive Earthly Delights below and revisit our interview with the pair from that release here.
