''The Alchemist's Euphoria'' is the seventh studio album by British band
Kasabian
Kasabian ( ) are an English rock band formed in Leicester in 1997 by lead vocalist Tom Meighan, guitarist and occasional vocalist Sergio Pizzorno, guitarist Chris Karloff, and bassist Chris Edwards. Drummer Ian Matthews joined in 2004. Ka ...
, released on 12 August 2022 through
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...
. It is Kasabian's first album in five years, following ''
For Crying Out Loud'' (2017), and first to feature
Serge Pizzorno
Sergio Lorenzo "Serge" Pizzorno (born 15 December 1980) is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for his work with the rock band Kasabian. He is Kasabian's primary songwriter since the departure of co-composer Christopher Kar ...
as a sole lead vocalist after former frontman
Tom Meighan
Thomas Peter Meighan (, born 11 January 1981) is an English singer and musician, best known as the former lead vocalist for the rock band Kasabian. He enjoyed large-scale success with Kasabian in the 2000s and 2010s. He is said to have an in ...
was fired in 2020 amid his domestic assault conviction. It is also their first album to feature guitarist Tim Carter as a permanent member, who contributed to all of the band's albums since ''
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
''West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum'' is the third studio album by British indie rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009. It was the band's first album not to feature Christopher Karloff, the band's lead guitarist and songwriter wh ...
'' in 2009, and joined the band in 2013 as a touring guitarist.
The album was produced by Pizzorno and
Fraser T. Smith and preceded by four singles—"Alygatyr", "Scriptvre", "Chemicals"
and "The Wall".
The band will tour in support of the album from late 2022.
The album's release was pushed back by a week from 5 August 2022 due to vinyl manufacturing issues.
Background
Former frontman
Tom Meighan
Thomas Peter Meighan (, born 11 January 1981) is an English singer and musician, best known as the former lead vocalist for the rock band Kasabian. He enjoyed large-scale success with Kasabian in the 2000s and 2010s. He is said to have an in ...
parted ways with the band in July 2020, and the following day pleaded guilty to assaulting his then-fiancée, now-wife Vikki Ager. Pizzorno, previously the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist in the band, then took over sole lead vocal duties.
The album was primarily recorded at Pizzorno's home studio, the Sergery, in
Leicester.
About the album, Pizzorno stated that it "takes some pretty obscure turns" and has a "big, epic sound but with a personal touch as well. There are some softer edges alongside the massive parts. As a whole, it's a beautiful thing and the most cohesive record we've ever made. It's an emotional trip."
Critical reception
''The Alchemist's Euphoria'' received a score of 74 out of 100 from nine critics' reviews on review aggregator
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, indicating "generally favorable" reception.
David Smyth of the ''
Evening Standard
The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format.
In October 2009, after be ...
'' wrote that Meighan "was never the most remarkable singer
..so he's not particularly missed on record", although felt that Pizzorno "will need to grow in stature" to "control" the crowds the band performs to. Smyth described the album as "punchy", writing that "Scriptvre" has "crunching breakbeats and snarling guitars" and "Rocket Fuel" is "a bit silly really, with its mix of rave synths and chanted vocals".
Reviewing the album for ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide ...
'', Michael Hann felt that the album "goes for broke" and "teems with ideas that don't always land", and despite Pizzorno's "imagination elevat
ngthem above their lad-rock leanings", as a vocalist he is "adequate but unremarkable". Hann found ''The Alchemist's Euphoria'' "offers up some of the bullish, uptempo rock that sets moshpits roiling. It is generally pretty good fun, too."
Track listing
*On digital services, "Alygatyr" is only 3:23 due to the single version being supplied instead of the album version.
Personnel
Kasabian
*
Sergio Pizzorno
Sergio Lorenzo "Serge" Pizzorno (born 15 December 1980) is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for his work with the rock band Kasabian. He is Kasabian's primary songwriter since the departure of co-composer Christopher Kar ...
– vocals, guitars, bass, synthesizers, piano, drum programming, production
(tracks 6, 9, 11 and 12),
mixing (tracks 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12)
*Chris Edwards – bass guitar, backing vocals
*
Ian Matthews – drums, percussion
*Tim Carter – guitar, organ, additional percussion, drum programming, additional production and programming
(tracks 6, 9, 11 and 12), mixing
(tracks 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12)
Additional musicians
*
Fraser T. Smith – additional keyboard, bass and drum programming
Production and design
*Fraser T. Smith – engineering
*
Mark "Spike" Stent
Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Shee ...
– mixing
(tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8)
*
Stephen McLaughlin – mixing
(tracks 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12)
*John Coyne – management
*Simon Moran – management
*
Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding (; (born 21 May 1973) is an English actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe alongside Julian Barratt in the 2000s, and more recently as a co-presenter of '' The Great British Bake Off ...
– cover and back cover painting
*Yasmina Aoun – design
*Alex Bois – design
Charts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alchemist's Euphoria
2022 albums
Kasabian albums
Albums produced by Fraser T. Smith
Albums produced by Sergio Pizzorno