Rival Sons have launched a video for Rapture, the second single to be unveiled from their upcoming seventh album Darkfighter, the follow-up to 2019's Feral Roots. And, like previous single Nobody Wants To Die, the accompanying video takes the viewer into deeply mysterious territory.
"Rapture lays on me like a weighted blanket in most ways," frontman Jay Buchanan tells Classic Rock. "Heavy but still comforting. In the video we’ve got a young man doing a grown man’s job and with that there’s a catharsis we witness.
"Set in a familiar landscape," adds guitarist Scott Holiday. "If you watched the first video (Nobody Wants to Die), the video for our new single Rapture takes the story in a different direction. This is a lighter more endearing visual contrasting NWTD’s action packed power. But there’s a subtle charming power in this video that the song frames beautifully.
"Written and produced by my soul brother Jay Buchanan, and staring my son, Devendra. Needless to say, I’m really proud of my fellas and how this one turned out. We also dropped a few ‘easter eggs’ in this one too. See if you can spot em!"
Rival Sons have also confirmed that upcoming album Darkfighter will be released on June 2 – it was originally slated for March 10 – but there's good news: the release will be followed by a second album, Lightbringer, which will arrive later in the year.
"In comparison to our previous records, we certainly took our time both writing and recording this collection," says Buchanan. "When we set out, the intention was mostly to dig as deep as possible. Even in the beginning before the body had formed, we agreed to throw the map away and chop our way through the woods to make a new path. Then lockdown hit and it felt like the whole damn country decided to throw the map away too.
"For myself, 2022 was like an eight-stage rocket of life changing events, so every time I thought I was finished writing, a new bull would come tearing through the clothesline and I’d have to illustrate it in some way. By the end, there were really two different sides to the same story being told.
"On one side, you’re fighting the darkness and, on the other, you’re bringing your own light to where there is none. One side in a corner, on the ropes, and the other advancing, cleaning the ring. Without an intermission, a refractory period, the collection would be too big a bite, so splitting it in two was the only way to do it."
Darkfighter is available to pe-order now. Rival Sons kick off a series of US dates on February 16 at the Civic Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Full dates below.
Rival Sons 2022 US Tour
Feb 16: Knoxville Civic Auditorium, TN*
Feb 17: Tallahassee Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, FL*
Feb 18: Augusta James Brown Arena, GA*
Feb 19: Savannah Enmarket Arena, GA*
Feb 22: Kalamazoo Wings Event Center, MI*
Feb 24: ToledoHuntington Center, OH*
Feb 25: Johnstown Cambria County War Memorial, PA*
Feb 26: Saginaw Dow Event Center, MI*
Mar 20: Tucson Arena, AZ^
Mar 21: El Paso Don Haskins Center, TX^
Mar 24: Anaheim Honda Center, CA^
Mar 26: Reno Reno Events Center, NV^
Mar 28: Sacramento Golden 1 Center, CA^
May 20: Daytona Beach Welcome To Rockville, FL+
May 27: Columbus Sonic Temple Festival, OH+
*w/ Whiskey Myers
^w/ Greta Van Fleet
+Festival
#Rival Sons only
Rival Sons: Darkfighter tracklist
1. Mirrors
2. Nobody Wants to Die
3. Bird in the Hand
4. Bright Light
5. Rapture
6. Guillotine
7. Horses Breath
8. Darkside
