You’re likely already aware that Foo Fighters have some ambitious new plans for their forthcoming eighth studio album (and if you didn’t, read a one-stop catch-up guide here). But after having teased fans with some “big news” about the new record in the last few days, Dave Grohl and co. now reveal all about their much-anticipated release, including artwork, tracklisting, pre-order details, and even a first taste.

The new Foo Fighters record is officially titled Sonic Highways and is set for release on 10th November. The album shares its name with the forthcoming HBO series, which documents the unique recording of the new Foo Fighters album; eight songs recorded across eight legendary studios in eight US cities: Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, and Washington DC.

The band have also offered the first proper sounds of Sonic Highways in the raucous soundtrack to a short video showing Grohl getting a new tattoo with the phrase: “In the end, we all come from what’s come before.”

The infinity logo appears to be a theme for the new record, which is available to pre-order in nine different album covers: one for each city the album was made in, along with a ‘forever’ cover that depicts the whole tapestry together (view below along with the tracklist). Sonic Highways is available in a variety of CD and 180 gram vinyl editions, as well as a ‘Mega Bundle’, over at the official Foo Fighters website.

Ahead of the follow-up to 2011’s Wasting Light dropping in November, the Sonic Highways HBO series – described by Grohl as a “love letter to the history of American music” – will act as a teaser for the album. Premiering on 17th October, each episode will focus on one of the eight US cities and the big-name musicians associated with its history.

So far the all-star roster includes includes KISS singer-guitarist Paul Stanley (New York), guitar prodigy Gary Clark Jnr (Austin), blues legend Buddy Guy (Chicago), Ian MacKaye of Fugazi (Washington, D.C.), plus Heart’s Nancy Wilson and Cheap Trick’s Rick Neilsen (originally from Vacouver and Illinois respectively).

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Some of those A-list names also “sat in” on sessions, according to a press release issued by the band earlier this year. As for the sound and scope of Sonic Highways, Grohl has teased to expect the unexpected while saying the band’s new experimental approach will tie with tried-and-true Foos hallmarks.

“You’ll recognize Foo Fighters in this record but you’ll also be surprised by us. We’re doing things that we’ve never done before,” Grohl explaines. “The music is a progression or an evolution for sure, but it’s a Foo Fighters record … Honestly, there are sections of songs that will really take you by surprise. And then there are choruses that you’ll just recognize as Foo Fighters within the first three seconds.”

Meanwhile, long-term collaborator and producer ButchVig recently announced that Sonic Highways was completed following an epic 23-day mixing session.


Sonic Highways Tracklisting:
01 Something From Nothing
02 The Feast and the Famine
03 Congregation
04 What Did I Do?/God As My Witness
05 Outside
06 In the Clear
07 Subterranean
08 I Am a River

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