Written By Sosefina Fuamoli

Northlane’s ambition as a band is as well-known as their music itself. Forever chasing a spark of something new that can be added to their wonderfully dense and textured sonic DNA, the Melbourne-based group has been able to unlock something special with their new record, Anemoia.

A hedonistic clash of mind-bending metal and electronic trance energy, the seventh studio album from Northlane sees the band find inspiration on a Melbourne dancefloor, and grow it through meticulous creative and studio sessions that can be described as both fulfilling, and back-breaking.

When we connect with vocalist Marcus Bridge, Anemoia was still undergoing final passes in the studio; a process Bridge is open about describing as “a slog”.

“It’s been almost two years in the making,” he explains. “It’s been a process. We’re so excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel when this album is finally out.”

 

Anemoia, as a concept, centres on the idea of faux-stalgia: a longing for an era or memories that one has never known. As an album, Anemoia, stretches this meaning through moments of gleeful, carefree sounds ("Start Again"), catharsis ("Evian’) and crushing breakdowns that lead to pure euphoria throughout.

The genesis of Anemoia came from an immersive experience songwriter/guitarist Jon Deiley had, courtesy of UK producer and DJ, Evian Christ. The latter, performing as part of Melbourne’s annual Rising Festival – in itself, a curated program of alternative, global, jazz, hip hop, electronic and left of centre art – left an impact on Deiley, who came away from the set with many questions about how electronic music and the heaviness of the Northlane signature could evolve and grow together.

Of course, Northlane’s history in fusing these genres is one that has seen some career-defining moments already. Yet this time around, the energy feels different. More restless, more experimental. Certainly, more dedicated to creating a soundscape that has pushed the boundaries more than Northlane has in the past.

“For us, it’s always been about trying new things and never being comfortable with where we’re at. We want to push things as far as we can,” Bridge says. 

“There are so many bands doing their own thing that we really want to make sure that we’re putting something out that, as much as it can be, hasn’t been done before. Or hasn’t been done in a way that we’ve done before. 

There is so much out there for people to enjoy, that we don’t have to remain within the confines of a particular genre that people might expect. We can do whatever we want. People are going to like it, or they won’t. There’s always something else out there for them. We want to create something that is hopefully for a bunch of people who may never have expected these sounds to come together, or for Northlane to sound like this.”

The album saw Northlane connect with Jordan Fish, who executive produced Anemoia and as a result, was able to add a brand new perspective to the well-oiled Northlane creative process. 

Fish, who spent one week with the band in Melbourne to write and begin threading this tapestry together, remained hands-on even after he left Australia. As Bridge explains, working with a producer like Fish meant that the band always felt like their experimental ideas and direction were in supportive, caring hands.

“He really cares, you can tell he really cares,” he says. “This isn’t just a job for him. This isn’t just a pay-cheque. It’s about creating something exciting and new, and following it through until the end.”

“He’s not just one and done. He’s there for the ride and he’s there until the end. We haven’t had anyone like that, showing us how much they care about the whole process, not just doing his part and moving onto the next thing.”

Amplifying the band’s musical intricacies, encouraging them to follow terrain less travelled, while at the same time, knowing when to pull back, the addition of Fish to the Northlane dynamic has simply bolstered the behemoth Anemoia has become. 

For Bridge, having the additional sonic ear and enthusiasm that matched their own in the studio, made the experience of creating Anemoia a memorable one in new ways.

“He’s someone who is so excited to play and just try something new. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work,” he says. “He’s not someone who’ll just sit there while we throw ideas around and shoot them down. He’s wanting to just try everything and find that piece that feels unique, fresh, or feels right for a song.” 

“It was so much fun working with him because he doesn’t take it too seriously but he’s so good at what he does that he can’t help but bring out the best in everyone working with him. I had so much fun doing that with him. 

It was also great to have another voice in the room to steer us in the right direction, even if it wasn’t him being hands-on with a particular part…if Jon and I were unsure about something, or if we had certain ideas with no clue on which direction to take, having someone like Jordan there was so incredibly useful. Being able to know when we’re doing something, if it’s the right move to be taking. If we needed to step back and head in a different direction, having someone with a brain like his really helped us fly through things a bit more. We weren’t second-guessing things. We were able to have an outside voice telling us whether to pursue it or not.”

While Anemoia has seen Northlane pair some of their most urgent and punishing material to date, with reverie-drenched new sounds, the project still very much feels like a signature Northlane venture.

Keeping the identity of the band, as wide-ranging as it has become, a prominent feature of this step forward, was obviously of importance to the group. Particularly since the release of Alien (2019), it has felt that Northlane has been constantly on a journey of self-evolution through sound and lyricism. 

 

Bridge’s vocals and words have never felt more impactful for the fans - new and old alike - who are searching for a kindred spirit, or shared meaning. Anemoia seeks to provide this feeling of realism and connection for those who need it. While the world outside feels chaotic and unpredictable, this is an album that feels grounded in an emotional experience that the band hopes will connect with the audience in a very real and kinetic way.

“I feel that the most satisfying part of all of this is how much it all still ties together. It feels like one piece, considering how vast it is,” Bridge admits. 

“There were definitely some moments there where some songs felt so different to one another, so trying to make sure they all felt like a unified piece of music was really important. That really comes down to mostly Jon spending so much time fine-tuning everything, almost to a fault, but not quite! He was so passionate about trying to make everything perfect. I think it shows in the finished product. 

It’s been such a long process for him; editing every little bit. He’s been hands-on with every piece of the album: with vocal effects, with the electronic elements, with the guitars. He’s been non-stop and I hope he’s also at a point now where he’s been able to separate from it and realise he’s done something really cool here. I am really stoked with how it’s all turned out. It’s very unique for us: it’s got the elements that people would expect, but then so much more as well.”

Bridge will be the first to admit that an album like Anemoia is not made to be easily digested. Like all of Northlane’s records, this one is primed for the listener to sit with and immerse themselves in. 

Where it takes them emotionally is an exciting prospect, and he is thrilled to see how this record will manifest live and potentially, become that gateway Northlane record for some first-time or casual listeners of the band.

“I think we’ve had this effect on people for a long time now where we'll put something out and maybe at the time, there is some confusion…people aren’t quite sure about it,” he says. 

“Then, years later, the same people would be like, “Node is my favourite album,” or “Obsidian is the best one!” People will come back around to it when there isn’t the pressure of it being the “new thing” or there isn’t the pressure of having to analyse every part of it, and compare it to what came before. When people can leave that behind and just enjoy it for what it is, that is where they will find so much more joy in it, that they might not have initially found.

 

I’m hoping that more [new] people do jump on board with this [album], because there is so much more to explore with this one. Yet it still has much of what we’ve done in the past, that anyone who does jump on board now, will be able to go back and see the pathway that led us here.”

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Anemoia, the new album from Northlane arrives November 27th. Get the album - HERE

Tickets for the band's Anemoia North American tour are now available for 2027. Northlane begins a live run throughout Australia and New Zealand next month before taking on a supporting run with Dayseeker with dates across Europe and the UK. See a confirmed list of dates and cities below. Get tickets - HERE

NORTHLANE TOUR DATES

November 5 - Perth, WA - Metro City

November 7 - West Melbourne, VIC - Festival Hall Melbourne

November 8 - Adelaide, SA - Thebarton Theatre

November 11 - Sydney, NSW - Enmore Theatre

November 13 - Newcastle, NSW - Newcastle University - Bar On The Hill 

November 14 - Brisbane, QLD - The Fortitude Music Hall

November 28 - Wolverhampton, UK - KK’s Steel Mill *

November 29 - Wolverhampton, UK - KK’s Steel Mill *

December 1 - Leeds, UK - Project House *

December 2 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Academy 1 *

December 3 - Bristol, UK - The Prospect Building *

December 5 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy Glasgow *

December 6 - Brixton, UK - O2 Academy Brixton *

December 8 - Paris, France - Élysée Montmartre *

December 9 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle 1 *

December 10 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol *

December 12 - Warsaw, Poland - Klub Proxima *

December 13 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys Neue Welt *

December 15 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna Music Bar *

December 16 - Munich, Germany - Tonhalle - Kultfabrik *

December 18 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg *

2027 TOUR DATES

February 12 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades

February 13 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues

February 14 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater

February 16 - Dallas, TX - South Side Music Hall

February 17 - San Antonio, TX - Vibes Event Center

February 18 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

February 20 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues

February 21 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Heaven)

February 23 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground

February 24 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage

February 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Brooklyn Bowl

February 27 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza

February 28 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club

March 2 - Montreal, QC - Beanfield Theatre

March 3 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall

March 5 - Detroit, MI - St Andrews Hall

March 6 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues

March 7 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater

March 8 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall

March 10 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Grand @ The Complex

March 13 - Calgary, AB - The Palace Theatre

March 14 - Edmonton, AB - Midway

March 15 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom

March 17 - Seattle, WA - Neptune

March 18 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater

* Supporting Dayseeker