Duran Duran have announced their 16th studio album: Danse Macabre, in time for this year’s Halloween. The record is due for release on October 27th on Tape Modern via BMG and available to pre-order here.
Catalysed by one special live performance that Duran Duran filmed in Las Vegas on October 31st of last year, Danse Macabre is the soundtrack to their ultimate Halloween party. Across 13 tracks the band unearth bright melodies from the darkness, threading together new songs, themed covers, and newly reimagined versions of their own ‘spooky’ classics.
Title track ‘Danse Macabre’ is released today as the first of three brand new songs. Anxious percussion sets the tempo against a distorted, growling synthesiser as Simon Le Bon’s swaggering verses give way to a handclap-laden and hypnotic hook. Teaming with producer Mr Hudson, channelling the chemistry they unlocked together on the Paper Gods album, the song also features former band-mate Warren Cuccurullo on guitar in his first collaboration with the band since 2001. Listen here.
Fans can also look forward to Duran Duran’s Halloween covers of Billie Eilish’s ‘Bury A Friend’, Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ (feat. Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin), The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’, the Rick James-inspired ‘Super Lonely Freak’, Siouxsie and the Banshees’ ‘Spellbound’, Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’ and The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’.
Danse Macabre is not just an album for Halloween. Elsewhere, ‘Black Moonlight’ sees the band’s timeless song writing break into dance-rock glamour with the addition of Nile Rodgers and Andy Taylor on guitar, where epic coda ‘Confession In The Afterlife’ finds Duran Duran reunited with producer Mr Hudson anew.
As well as a second collaboration with Warren Cuccurullo on ‘Love Voudou’, Danse Macabre will feature newly recorded versions of ‘Nightboat’ and fan favourite ‘Secret Oktober 31st’ (both featuring Andy Taylor on guitar). The song made its first appearance as b-side to the 7” single ‘Union of The Snake’ and is now, 40 years later, seeing its first ever physical release on a Duran Duran studio album.
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