LIZZARD: Prog-Rock Powerhouse Releases Fifth Full-Length, Mesh, Today On Pelagic Records

France-based, prog-rock power trio LIZZARD has released their fifth studio album, Mesh today on Pelagic Records.

Capturing the energetic, lightning-in-a-bottle optimism of the late ‘90s post-punk/art-rock scene and reigniting it with simmering potential, Mesh sees LIZZARD out to reclaim the creative, collaborative energy that has fueled them for over a decade.

Also shared today, new single “Mad Hatters” sees LIZZARD take aim at those in power as society teeters on the edge of collapse. This stand out track is packed with mellow polyrhythms and plaintive melodies that push pressing questions to the fore as the band harness the raw energy of the late ‘90s post-punk and art-rock scenes and reframe it as something urgent, empowering and inspiring.

Having first met in 2006, drummer Katy Elwell, guitarist/vocalist Mat Ricou, and bassist Will Knox quickly realized they shared not only similar creative influences but also a distinct musical vision. The trio set out to craft an unmistakably contemporary rock sound that sought to resonate emotionally with the listener whilst being unafraid to challenge them too. The result is heavy, hook-laden and so much greater than the sum of its parts.

After eighteen years, four full-length albums, and countless international tours alongside the likes of Gojira, ORK (King Crimson/Porcupine Tree), The Pineapple Thief, and Soen, LIZZARD returns with Mesh; a propulsive product of the raw, spontaneous might of the band’s live prowess, pent up for so long by events outside of their control, and the production precision of their studio experience alongside long-time friend and collaborator, producer Peter Junge.

Stream LIZZARD’s Mesh at THIS LOCATION.

Watch LIZZARD’s [previously released video for “The Beholder” HERE and “Black Sheep” HERE 

Mesh is available on CD, LP, and digital formats. Find orders at THIS LOCATION.

Fans of Tool, King Crimson, Karnivool, Sparta, Radiohead, Deftones, Faith No More, and Helmet, pay heed.

It was LIZZARD’s 2007, self-produced mini-album Venus that set them on their meteoric trajectory; produced by Rhys Fulber (Paradise Lost, Fear Factory, Front Line Assembly), it caught the attention of progressive rock audiences, labels and contemporaries alike. This underground success led to LIZZARD supporting acts such as Gojira and Punish Yourself in France before heading to L.A. to work with Fulber on their debut album proper, 2012’s Out of Reach, which truly put the band on the map as a poly-rhythmic powerhouse.

Subsequent European tours and shows with the likes of stoner-metal legends High On Fire and iconic fusion drummer Terry Bozzio saw LIZZARD expand their audience significantly and refine their sound even further, with their 2014 live-recorded and self-produced sophomore album Majestic serving as testament to their formidable musicianship; darker, deeper, and rawer than ever. Hundreds of shows across Europe and the US later, the band returned to the studio to work on 2018’s Shift with producer Peter Junge before hitting the road again, this time with prog heroes including ORK (King Crimson/Porcupine Tree) and The Pineapple Thief.

LIZZARD’s incredible momentum was abruptly brought to a halt by the pandemic in 2020. However, the band were already hard at work on their fourth full-length album, 2021’s Eroded, recorded again with Peter Junge and the band’s first release through Pelagic. Initially denied the energy of the live performances on which they thrive, LIZZARD eventually toured Europe with Eroded in Autumn 2022 opening for Soen before embarking on their own headline tour in Spring 2023. LIZZARD also used the global lockdown as an opportunity to reinterpret Eroded as an intimate, short film recorded live in isolation without any audience.

This experience had a profound effect on the trio. Recorded by the band in the abandoned factory they use as their creative base and produced again by now long-time friend and collaborator Peter Junge, Mesh is LIZZARD unleashing the raw, spontaneous might of their pent-up live sound through the production precision of their studio experience. Themes of duality and control, whether it’s regaining it or letting it go, run right through the album in some of LIZZARD’s most honest and introspective work to date; asking questions of who and what we truly are behind the veil, underneath the mesh of appearances we all use to protect, but more often mask, our emotions and desires.

“A work of maturity that delivers atmosphere and musical creativity aplenty.” — Prog

“It’s hard to express how well this album flows from song to song… LIZZARD are a band that deserve to be more widely known. Mesh… is one of the best albums of 2024. It’s an album that when I am unsure of what to listen to, Mesh is always going to fit the bill.” — Progressive Music Planet

“An airy block, undoubtedly one of the most balanced records in terms of intentions of LIZZARD‘s entire creation.” — Rock Hard

“LIZZARD continues to baffle and seduce, drawing us into a very personal world that has become so familiar.” — Metallian

“Spacey guitar tones and fantastic vocals make for music that is pleasing to the ear.” — Metal Digest

LIZZARD:
Mathieu Ricou – guitars, vocals
Katy Elwell – drums
William Knox – bass

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