5 Seconds of Summer drummer Ashton Irwin has released his second solo album, 'Blood on the Drums'.
The LP, released July 17, is the follow-up to 2020's Superbloom and was produced by the pop-rock group's collaborators John Feldman and Matthew Pauling.
The '80s-inspired lead single, “Straight To Your Heart,” is out now, along with a video created by Ryan Fleming and co-directed by Ashton.
The 29-year-old musician passed his motorbike license test and learned archery for a promotion in the California desert.
The album will be released in two parts, with the first eight tracks, 'The Thorns', including lead single 'Straight To Your Heart', dropping on June 12th, followed by 'The Roses' on July 17th.
Ashton said: “I love creating full-length albums, but I also like the idea of listeners listening to the two parts first and forming their own interpretation. As a music fan, it's important to me to have a comprehensive body of work that really explores an artist's perspective.”
The album title is “a metaphor for how much I've put into music.”
The press release adds: “The new album is a forward-thinking collection of songs that combines catchy '80s-inspired anthems, prickly rock bangers, dubby art pop and more. Unlike 'Superbloom,' which was written during the pandemic and was full of personal reflections and poignant musings, 'Blood on the Drums' looks outward rather than inward. Weaving together the ups and downs of Irwin's life over the past decade, the result is songs that are crafted to resonate with the masses, with universal themes wrapped up in personal stories.”
Ashton continued, “I was thinking about the people I left behind, the people I miss, the family I had to leave when I was young. I was thinking about the addiction I went through. I was thinking about the way I grew up as a young man without a father. I was thinking about my own personal strength and, generally speaking, knowing that no one is on your side but yourself and becoming the person that I'm meant to be for the rest of my life.”
Meanwhile, the Yungblud drummer is set to hold a one-off concert at The Belasco in Los Angeles on July 18, where fans will be able to hear songs from the album live.
Tickets will go on sale this Friday (07.06.24).
'Blood on the Drums' tracklist:
The Thorns (EP out June 12th):
1. “Straight to Your Heart”
2. “Farewell”
3. “Blood on the Drums”
4. “I can see angels”
5. “Lose You”
6. “Rebel Heart”
7. “The Last Night of My Life”
8. “Immortality”
“The Roses” (released July 17th due to album completion)
1. “The Canyon”
2. “California Hold Your Breath”
3. “Little Spark”
4. “Evil Habits”
5. “Marry me.”
6. “Glory Days”
7. Wild Things
8. “Endless Wave”
Photo (c) Ryan Fleming