Chicago-based alternative all-stars The Joy Thieves unveil the video for their new single ‘No Anchor’ feat. Chris Connelly (Fini Tribe, Revolting Cocks, Ministry, Pigface), created by Lumbra Productions. The second taste of their full-length album ‘Apocalypse Pending’, out June 5th via Armalyte Industries, fumes about a chilling world where corporate giants and billionaires operate with total impunity and where the absence of a moral “anchor” leads to societal and personal dissolution.
These music mavericks eye the edge of collapse, capturing the zeitgeist with such precision. Touching on the decay of the individual, ‘No Anchor’ explores the isolation in our modern world has pushed people towards amorality and an increased sense of hopeless nihilism. on vocals, this song articulates a world slipping free of moral gravity.
Revolving around musicians-producers Dan Milligan and James Scott (a.k.a. Joy Thieves Productions), The Joy Thieves is a musical supergroup that includes current, former, and touring members of Ministry, Stabbing Westward, The Rollins Band, Killing Joke, Pigface, RevCo, PIG, David Bowie, Blue October, Machines of Loving Grace, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Naked Raygun, Foetus, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Pegboy, Nitzer Ebb, Die Krupps and more.
“These days, it seems like people are capable of being pushed or tempted to exist in a state where they are alone. No moral compass. No ethics. No empathy. No forgiveness. No anchor. In a society where guilt seems to be gone, people can act however they want,” says Chris Connelly.
Dan Milligan adds, “When I was writing the music for ‘No Anchor,’ I purposefully used ever-changing, off-kilter guitar riffs that seem to stray farther and farther from the song’s key as it progresses. Because the music never truly repeats, or settles down, it creates the sickening sense that everything is unresolved, and it’s only going to get worse.”
Since signing with London alternative-industrial label Armalyte Industries in 2018, The Joy Thieves have delivered 11 critically-acclaimed releases. ‘Apocalypse Pending’ is the latest in that list — produced, engineered and mixed by Joy Thieves Productions at Populist Recording + Mastering.
The band crafts their cohesive signature sound from the contributions of its ever-growing 80+ roster of members, drawn from a diverse range of genres, including industrial, rock, punk, darkwave, hip hop and experimental music. Created by “all of us, and yet, none of us”, this is a sound all their own, their music aggressive, yet precise; confrontational, but refined; and harsh, yet melodic.
This new song cycle began with producer-drummer Dan Milligan re-recording iconic hip hop breakbeats with modern drum sounds. The album’s first single ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ began that way — a modern re-imagining of one of the most famous breakbeats of all time (‘Ashley’s Roachclip’ by The Soul Searchers) forming the basis upon which the track was built. Bypassing genre restrictions by stretching into new realms, The Joy Thieves’ sound both honors the past while pushing its evolution into the future.
‘No Anchor’ is out now, available from digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ can also be found. The ‘Apocalypse Pending’ album, now available for pre-order, will be released on June 5th.
CREDITS
‘No Anchor’ written by Chris Connelly & Dan Milligan
‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ written by Chris Connelly, Dan Milligan, Derek Christopher, Dee J Nelson
Produced, engineered & mixed by Joy Thieves Productions
at Populist Recording + Mastering, Wheaton, IL
Mastered by James Scott at Populist Recording + Mastering
Additional production by:
Derek Christopher at Penfield Studios
Mark Pistel at Room 5 Studios
Jeff Harris at JH Studios
Steven Archer at House of Wolves
Dee J Nelson at DJN Music Studio
Jane Jensen at Autozen Music
DJ Darryl Hell at HellLab Studios
Art direction by Destiny Justic Scott
Original artwork by Charlie Athanas for Burning City
Video by Joel Lopez by Lumbra Productions.
Released via Armalyte Industries
Artist studio photos by Derick Smith
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
