Styx have announced that they’ll release their new studio album this summer.
Titled The Mission, it’s set to launch on June 16 via Alpha Dog 2T Inc/Universal Music Enterprises. It’ll be their first release since 2005 cover album Big Bang Theory – and the band’s first record of new studio material since 2003’s Cyclorama.
The Mission will take the form of a concept album telling the story of the first manned voyage Mars in the year 2033.
A statement reads: “The fictional sci-fi tale casts Styx members, singer and guitarists Tommy Shaw and James ‘JY’ Young, singer and keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, drummer Todd Sucherman and bassists Ricky Phillips and Chuck Panozzo, as the crew of a nuclear-powered spacecraft named the Khedive, and follows their adventures as they try to reach the red planet.”
Shaw and longterm collaborator Will Evankovich worked together on the album’s storyline.
Shaw says: “The planets truly aligned for The Mission and I couldn’t be prouder. It’s our boldest, most emblematic album since 1978’s Pieces Of Eight.”
To mark the announcement, Styx have released a video for the first track from the album, Gone Gone Gone, which can be seen below, along with the album artwork and full tracklist.
The Mission is now available for pre-order.
Styx will head out on the road with REO Speedwagon and Don Felder this summer for a run of dates across the US.
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Styx The Mission tracklist
- Overture
- Gone Gone Gone
- Hundred Million Miles From Home
- Trouble At The Big Show
- Locomotive
- Radio Silence
- The Greater Good
- Time May Bend
- Ten Thousand Ways
- Red Storm
- All Systems Stable
- Khedive
- The Outpost
- Mission To Mars
Styx, REO Speedwagon, Don Felder United We Rock tour dates
Jun 20: Ridgefield Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre, WA
Jun 21: Auburn White River Amphitheatre, WA
Jun 23: Concord Pavilion, CA
Jun 24: Los Angeles Greek Theatre, CA
Jun 25: Paso Robles Vina Robles Amphitheatre, CA
Jun 27: Salt Lake City USANA Amphitheatre, UT
Jun 29: Denver Pepsi Center, CO
Jul 01: Tinley Park Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, IL
Jul 18: Tampa Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, FL
Jul 19: West Palm Beach Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre, FL
Jul 20: Jacksonville Daily’s Place, FL
Jul 22: Nashville Ascend Amphitheatre, TN
Jul 23: Alpharetta Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, GA
Jul 25: Detroit DTE Energy Music Theatre, MI
Jul 27: Indianapolis Klipsch Music Center, IN
Jul 29: Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Jul 30: Dallas Starplex Pavilion, TX
Aug 11: Bethel Woods Center For The Arts, NY
Aug 12: Atlantic City Borgata Event Center, NJ
Aug 13: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
Aug 15: Gilford Bank Of NH Pavilion, NY
Aug 16: Wantagh Northwell Health At Jones Beach Theater, NY
Aug 18: Niagara Falls Seneca Niagara Events Cente (Styx and REO sonly)
Aug 19: Mansfield Xfinity Center, MA
Aug 20: Bangor Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, ME
Aug 22: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Styx's next record 'has to be different' from their past work
