Styx will release Circling From Above, their 18th studio work, on July 18. Early access is available now on StyxWorld.com. This new, 41-minute musical venture packs 13 tracks. The band dropped their first single, “Build and Destroy,” in late May. It showcases a connection to human ambition and discarded dreams, and the band finished it in just a day and a half. It features vocals from Lawrence Gowan.
Each of the seven band members left their mark on this record. James Young and Will Evankovich play guitar; Tommy Shaw strums alongside; Chuck Panozzo handles bass; Todd Sucherman is behind the drums; Lawrence Gowan is on the keys; and Terry Gowan is a new bassist.
Will Evankovich took the helm as producer, working with Shaw and Gowan to shape the songs. A chat about tracking old satellites sparked the idea of mixing tech with wild nature in unexpected ways. The album cover has starlings flying over a dilapidated satellite dish.
Tommy Shaw told Ultimate Classic Rock that many of the songs had personal dimensions. “You’re writing about your experiences in your life and things that you love and enjoy, or things that were hard to go through and that sort of thing, so you’re just really just writing a book in little sections like that.”
Starting May 28 in Greenville, South Carolina, the band hits the road for the Brotherhood of Rock summer tour with REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin and ex-Eagles axeman Don Felder. Shows run through August 24, wrapping up in Milwaukee. Styx will perform their classic 1977 album, The Grand Illusion.
Circling From Above will be at merchandise tables throughout the tour. This latest work follows The Mission from 2017 and 2021’s Crash of the Crown, marking a strong run of fresh material from the band.
