Greta Van Fleet has announced the title of their sophomore record, The Battle at Garden’s Gate, and have dropped a new single to celebrate, “Age of Machine.” The album is due out April 16, 2021 via Lava/Republic Records and was recorded in Los Angeles with Greg Kurstin (Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney).
The new album focuses on the band’s increased awareness of the world around them and drummer Danny Wagner spoke about the culture shock while touring the world:
“We realized that while growing up, we had been shielded by many things, and we were unaware of a lot of things. And then we were thrown out into this huge world, and it was a bit of a culture shock at first. But as we started to travel a lot, meet new and different people and experience different cultures, our definition of ‘normal’ changed.”
Bassist Sam Kiszka added:
“I suppose that everything has changed except what got us here in the first place. Everything – our perception of the world, perception of life itself, what it means to be an artist, what it means to be part of a beautiful, gorgeous society. We’ve gained a larger understanding of why we’re all here.”
When speaking about the lyrical content, vocalist Josh Kiszka shared his thoughts:
“It’s very dynamic, lyrically speaking. And that’s the human experience. It’s much more than pain or fear; it’s also beauty. People need people, and love is important.” Lyrically, The Battle at Garden’s Gate muses about the influence of technology on modern life; the role conflict plays in the global sphere; the deceptive fulfillment of tangible riches; and philosophical questions about life, love and power.
“There was a lot of self-evolution happening during the writing of this album that was prompted by experiences I had, experiences we all had, so a lot of contemplation occurred.”
Guitarist Jake Kiszka added:
“It’s reflecting a lot of the world that we’ve seen, and I think that it’s reflecting a lot of personal truth. What Josh does very well with the lyrics is telling ancient tales with a contemporary application.”
Listen to “Age of Machine” below and pre-order the album here!
