{"id":45100,"date":"2026-05-04T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=45100"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T01:04:28","slug":"civil-villains-announce-second-album-drop-double-a-side","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=45100","title":{"rendered":"Civil Villains announce second album + drop double A-side"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Civil Villains announce second album &#8216;A Sleeper, Underneath&#8217; \u2014 out 8th May<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Oxford alt-rock\/post-hardcore trio Civil Villains are back with big news: their second album, &#8216;A Sleeper, Underneath&#8217;, drops <strong>8th May 2026<\/strong> via <strong>Thundersnuff Records<\/strong>. To mark the announcement, they&#8217;ve dropped a tasty AA single \u2014 <em>High Achievers<\/em> \/ <em>Shadow Weight<\/em> \u2014 and both tracks come with videos. Yeah, both. Generous lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/emubands.ffm.to\/asleeperunderneath\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pre-save &#8216;A Sleeper, Underneath&#8217; here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aNwS9HCcMLs?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-CA&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/m9SklJwW2vI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Watch the video for <em>Shadow Weight<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Something Still Growing Through the Pressure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The album title comes from a line rooted in Thoreau&#8217;s <em>Walden<\/em> \u2014 specifically his image of railroad sleepers (the wooden ties) as people being crushed under the march of progress. It&#8217;s a heavy metaphor, but vocalist <strong>James King<\/strong> flips it into something quietly defiant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;<em>The idea that society pushes forward so quickly that people, and the natural world, often get crushed in the process. But I liked imagining something still managing to grow through all of that pressure \u2014 rising up, blooming, refusing to stay buried.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Recorded at <strong>Shaken Oak Studios<\/strong> and <strong>Safehouse Studios<\/strong> in Oxfordshire, the album was produced and mixed by <strong>Mike Bannard<\/strong> (Foals, Glass Animals) and Civil Villains themselves, then mastered by <strong>Alain Paul Mastering<\/strong> in Germany. Sounds like they kept it close to home \u2014 literally and creatively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the AA Single<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Both tracks give you a real sense of where Civil Villains are heading \u2014 and it&#8217;s somewhere sharper, more immediate, but no less intricate. King breaks down the stories behind each one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;<em>High Achievers was born in a generator-powered, converted cowshed in Hampshire. The chorus riff had previously been abandoned after we tried to cram it into too many songs, but we&#8217;d never tested it as a lyrical bed. Turns out it just needed the right home. File under: sardonic social commentary.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;<em>Shadow Weight is a song of two parts \u2014 this may be our most successful attempt. The first half is based on an idea I&#8217;ve carried around forever; the second is entirely Mark&#8217;s beautiful construction. Part eulogy, part dream-state. On some level I think the lyrics were subconsciously influenced by watching X-Men &#8217;97.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The <em>High Achievers<\/em> video leans into the band&#8217;s creative process \u2014 raw, honest, filmed in the studio with producer Mike Bannard and the Shaken Oak team. King says it was important to reflect the &#8220;i<em>t takes a village&#8221;<\/em> spirit behind the record. Meanwhile, the <em>Shadow Weight<\/em> clip mirrors the track&#8217;s yin-and-yang structure \u2014 soft and hard, smooth and angular, gentle and harsh. Two videos, two very different moods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Natural Evolution<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8216;A Sleeper, Underneath&#8217; follows their 2023 debut album &#8216;Motion Sick&#8217; and finds the band leaning into something more open and instinctive. The angular guitars, dynamic structures and rhythmic unpredictability are still very much present \u2014 but there&#8217;s more space here, more clarity, more emotional directness. Tighter. More distilled. Still unmistakably Civil Villains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lead single <em>Come Home<\/em> \u2014 released earlier this year \u2014 set the tone nicely, picking up support from <strong>BBC Introducing<\/strong>&#8216;s Dave Gilyeat, plus tastemaker nods from Already Heard and Buttonpusher DIY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0360.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0360-1024x1024.jpeg?resize=1024%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-45102\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0360.jpeg?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0360.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0360.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0360.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0360.jpeg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tracklist \u2014 &#8216;A Sleeper, Underneath&#8217;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Never Felt Better<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High Achievers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Second Guess<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Horehound<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shadow Weight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Punching Down<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Telegraph<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Come Home<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Knives of Ambition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Crosstalk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canvas Stretcher<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Live<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>06.03.26<\/strong> \u2014 Tunbridge Wells, The Sussex Arms (aka The Forum Basement) w\/ Mould<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>More dates TBA. Watch this space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Quick Rewind<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Formed in 2015 by <strong>James King<\/strong> (vocals, guitar), <strong>Mark Hudson<\/strong> (bass), and <strong>Toby Warren<\/strong> (drums, percussion, vocals), Civil Villains have been quietly building something special. Early singles cut at Brighton Electric with <strong>Josh Harrison<\/strong> (Royal Blood, Sea Power, Tigercub), a 2019 debut EP &#8216;Snake Oil&#8217; tracked live with <strong>Wayne Adams<\/strong> (USA Nails, JOHN (TIMESTWO)), and then &#8216;Motion Sick&#8217; in 2023 \u2014 a debut album that really put their songwriting in full focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Along the way they&#8217;ve shared stages with Sparta, Kid Kapichi, Listener and Poly-Math, toured the UK and North America (including headline shows in Toronto and Cambridge, MA), and played festivals from Quebec City to New York. They&#8217;re one of those bands quietly doing everything right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow Civil Villains: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/civil_villains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/civilvillainsband\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@civilvillains\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8216;A Sleeper, Underneath&#8217; is out 8th May 2026 via Thundersnuff Records. <a href=\"https:\/\/emubands.ffm.to\/asleeperunderneath\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pre-save now.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Civil Villains announce second album &#8216;A Sleeper, Underneath&#8217; \u2014 out 8th May Oxford alt-rock\/post-hardcore trio Civil Villains are back with big news: their second album, <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=45100\" title=\"Civil Villains announce second album + drop double A-side\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[22,23,28,30,1907],"tags":[13670,13372,13422,13671,13672,2866,10393,13669,13668,13387],"class_list":["post-45100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guitar-rock","category-indie","category-music","category-new-release","category-news","tag-a-sleeper-underneath","tag-album-announcement","tag-alt-rock","tag-civil-villains","tag-high-achievers","tag-oxford","tag-post-hardcore","tag-shadow-weight","tag-thundersnuff-records","tag-uk-music"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_0361.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2B2TV-bJq","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40060,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=40060","url_meta":{"origin":45100,"position":0},"title":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs\u00a0announce\u00a0\u2018Live at KEXP\u2019 Record Store Day release","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"April 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Newcastle, UK-based group\u00a0Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs\u00a0have announced a\u00a0Record Store Day\u00a0exclusive vinyl release of their explosive\u00a0KEXP session. Recorded during the band\u2019s 2023 US tour supporting their acclaimed new album\u00a0\u2018Land Of Sleeper,\u2019\u00a0\u2018Live at KEXP\u2019\u00a0provides a front row seat to Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs\u2019 unhinged and undeniable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3486B053-4AA8-4A45-82AF-44E91337B4E2.jpeg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":17693,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=17693","url_meta":{"origin":45100,"position":1},"title":"GIVERS reveal &#8216;Sleeper Hold&#8217; featuring Dr. John","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"November 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Formed in 2008 in the sweaty dancehalls of Lafayette, Louisiana, GIVERS are back with their sophomore album, 'New Kingdom,' due out November 13th via Glassnote Records. Organically fusing pop, dance and experimental soul the band have now revealed Sleeper Hold. Cloaked in a hue of mystery, Sleeper Hold showcases band\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"GIVERS Photo Credit: David Black","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/GIVERS.jpg?fit=600%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/GIVERS.jpg?fit=600%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/GIVERS.jpg?fit=600%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39442,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=39442","url_meta":{"origin":45100,"position":2},"title":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs shares new KEXP live session","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"May 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Newcastle, UK-based group Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs have shared a new live video session filmed with KEXP in Seattle. Filmed during their recent U.S. tour in support for their acclaimed new album \u2018Land Of Sleeper,\u2019 the session provides a front row seat to the group\u2019s unhinged and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/B62A9169-8423-4639-AFFD-937C05E43A9C.jpeg?fit=500%2C334&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":41141,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=41141","url_meta":{"origin":45100,"position":3},"title":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs announce new album \u2018Death Hilarious\u2019","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"February 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Official Video for New Single\u00a0Stitches\u00a0\u2013 Watch Now via YouTube below https:\/\/youtu.be\/TJ1M2i-7gF4?si=SCvGV504M0cwtakr Newcastle\u2019s\u00a0Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs\u00a0return with their fifth studio album, \u2018Death Hilarious,\u2019 set for release\u00a0on\u00a0April 4\u00a0via\u00a0Missing Piece Records (North America) and Rocket Recordings (Rest of the World). The record promises\u00a0a brutal sonic assault, shifting between\u00a0Sabbathian doom, blistering\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_3766.jpeg?fit=1200%2C744&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_3766.jpeg?fit=1200%2C744&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_3766.jpeg?fit=1200%2C744&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_3766.jpeg?fit=1200%2C744&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_3766.jpeg?fit=1200%2C744&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2194,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=2194","url_meta":{"origin":45100,"position":4},"title":"Thrill Jockey Records announce their Record Store Day 2012 releases","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"March 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Thrill Jockey Records have announced the vinyl new releases and reissues by Hush Arbors, Arbouretum, The Black Twig Pickers, Freakwater and Tortoise available for Record Store Day on April 21, 2012. Hush Arbors release their first Thrill Jockey release with Arbouretum on the new 'Aureola' split album. The two bands\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/37r7_rsddatewide2012low_2-1.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/37r7_rsddatewide2012low_2-1.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1 1x, https:\/\/cultureaddicts.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/37r7_rsddatewide2012low_2-1.jpg?w=525&h=300&crop=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39737,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=39737","url_meta":{"origin":45100,"position":5},"title":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs\u00a0releases new album \u2018Live In New York\u2019","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"November 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Newcastle, UK-based group Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs have released their new live album, \u2018Live In New York\u2019. The record showcases their fiery live show from their April 2023 performance at New York City\u2019s Mercury Lounge, on their recent tour in support of the acclaimed LP \u2018Land Of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/2A896261-151C-4F6F-94BA-107E8F456D3F.jpeg?fit=400%2C267&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45100"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45104,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45100\/revisions\/45104"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}