Velcrocranes announce new deal with InsideOut for debut album What If I Die

Velcrocranes monochrome posed press shot 2022 — (Image credit: Natalie Delmar)

Russian progressive rock newcomers Velcrocranes are to release their debut album, What If I Die, on April 29 via their new label home of InsideOut. Watch a teaser below.

The group started a small jazz ensemble but upon discovering the music of Porcupine Tree, their true sound came into focus. They released their debut EP, Afterlife, in 2018 and their debut full-length remains true to the foundation that they’ve carefully laid in recent years while showing little restraint for reaching into the bag of tricks to delight their listeners.

Speaking about the creative drive behind the LP's themes, the band say, “We imagine the main idea of the album as changing as the listener goes along. Our goal was to draw a parallel to the way your understanding of life’s meaning, your values and choices, and your perception of death change during your lifetime.”

What If I Die also features keyboard contributions throughout from Adam Holzman (Miles Davis & Steven Wilson). The band reveal: "We'd been trying a lot of different options until at some point we got desperate enough to take a chance and write to Adam, which was totally worth it because he just hit the spot! He managed to keep our original ideas, embellish them and beautifully highlight the genre features."

Marillion and Steven Wilson artist Carl Glover has created the cover artwork. The band comment: “The idea behind [it] is as simple as it is effective. It seems to emphasise the focus on the intellectual and metaphorical vs concrete and corporeal – this, together with the minimalistic colour scheme, blends in just perfectly and echoes the music.”

What If I Die will be released as limited CD (with bonus track), vinyl LP + CD, and as digital album. Pre-orders will begin on February 25.

Velcrocranes cover art for What If I Die — (Image credit: press)

With contributions from

Natasha ScharfDeputy Editor, Prog