Bush is back!
Today, Bush releases “Heavy Is the Ocean,” the second single off their highly anticipated, long-awaited ninth full-length album, The Art of Survival, scheduled to drop October 7, 2022 via BMG.
After three decades, well over 20 million records sold, a GRAMMY® Award nomination, 1 billion streams, and a procession of #1 hits, Bush stand tall as rock outliers whose imprint only widens as the year’s pass. Turn on rock radio, and it won’t be long before you hear “Glycerine” or “Machinehead.” On the big screen, their music courses through blockbuster franchises such as John Wick. On the road, they regularly pack amphitheatres and ignite festival stages. In 1994, the group delivered their seminal debut, “Sixteen Stone”. It notably achieved six-times platinum certification, remaining a pillar of modern rock.
The triple-platinum follow-up, “Razorblade Suitcase”, bowed at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and boasted “Swallowed,” which garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Hard Rock Performance.” Their catalogue spans the platinum “The Science of Things” [1999] through “Black and White Rainbows” [2017]. Most recently, 2020’s “The Kingdom” arrived to acclaim highlighted by “Flowers On A Grave” and “Bullet Holes.” Thus far, they have notched 23 straight Top 40 hits on the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, earning six #1 entries. As indefatigable as ever, they’re still here too, which brings us to their ninth full-length offering, The Art of Survival [BMG]. These twelve tracks aren’t just the sound of a band surviving though; they’re the sound of a band bucking trends, breaking ground, and besting even their most celebrated canon.
“Heavy Is The Ocean” is a euphoric rock revelation encouraging love and recognizing the bravery behind freely expressing your feelings.
As soon as Gavin Rossdale heard the riff he said, “Oh Lord, this is going to open the record. It really sets the tone and the gravitas of the album. I love the power of the ocean. It’s mesmerizing to me. It feeds your soul. The song uses the imagery I love. At this point, I’m chained at the zoo of rock! So, I was like, ‘Fuck it, I’m going to turn that puppy up. This one definitely represents “The Art of Survival”.
The track takes a lighter turn compared to their most recent hard-hitting and uncompromising single “More than Machines,” opposing our current government’s rule over women’s bodies and highlighting the awful destruction of the planet. “More Than Machines” continues its impressive climb up the Active Rock Airplay charts ( #12 in just 5 weeks), while “Heavy is the Ocean” will allow fans a chance to get a taste of the full breath of the album by listening through all streaming platforms.
Both singles set the foundation for what’s to come from Bush’s incredible forthcoming album ‘The Art of Survival.’ Bush wrote and recorded the album in 2022, reteaming with Erik Ron [Panic! At The Disco, Godsmack] who produced “Flowers On A Grave” and the title track for the group’s previous album, The Kingdom (2020), and collaborating once again on two tracks with film composer, musician, and producer Tyler Bates [300, Guardian of the Galaxy]. The central theme speaks to both the human spirit’s resiliency in the face of trials and tribulations as well as the band’s own enduring place as rock outliers.
Rossdale adds, “Instead of being mournful or self-piteous, this is about the success stories of humanity’s survival against the odds. People just find a way to push through. We’ve all obviously suffered in varying degrees. I think the nature of life is the art of survival. Everyone is being tested all of the time, but we find a way. In recent memory, we’ve made major strides and shown great resilience in the face of war, endless instances of racism, gender politics, a pandemic, and a melting pot of what we’ve experienced. For me, The Art of Survival encompasses all of this.”
