After a long quiet spell, Chvrches are back. On Wednesday, October 21, the Scottish trio announced All the King’s Men, their first new album in six years, along with a run of 2027 tour dates across North America, the UK and Ireland.

For fans who have been living on Screen Violence since 2021, this is the news they’ve been waiting for. Here’s what we know about the record, how it sounds different and where the band is headed next year.

The album: release date and label

According to Pitchfork, All the King’s Men arrives on January 22 via Futures Music Group. It’s led by the single “Roses,” which the band released last month as the first taste of the new era.

The album has 11 tracks:

  • Roses
  • Evil
  • Adore You
  • Overthinker
  • Royal Blue
  • Comedown Tomorrow
  • Friend of a Friend
  • Three Out of Five
  • Conman
  • Jamie’s Prayer
  • Faith in Flying

A new sound for a synth-pop band

Chvrches built their name on glossy, hard-hitting synth-pop, with songs like “The Mother We Share” and “Clearest Blue” becoming festival favorites. This record appears to be a deliberate change of direction.

Pitchfork describes All the King’s Men as 11 indie rock songs, with inspiration drawn from artists such as Massive Attack, PJ Harvey, Nick Drake, Bert Jansch and the Incredible String Band. That’s a striking list. Massive Attack and PJ Harvey point toward moody, textured and sometimes confrontational records, while Nick Drake, Bert Jansch and the Incredible String Band are rooted in British folk and acoustic songwriting.

It’s too early to say exactly how those influences will show up across the full album, but it suggests Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook and Martin Doherty were looking well beyond the synth-heavy palette they’re best known for.

Why it took six years

The band’s last album, Screen Violence, came out in 2021. Pitchfork reports that after touring that record, the trio deliberately paused to regroup and find a way to challenge themselves while writing its follow-up. All the King’s Men is the result of those songwriting sessions.

Stepping away from the album-tour cycle can push a band toward something new, and the stated influences suggest that’s what happened here.

The 2027 tour

Chvrches plan to hit the road soon after the album comes out. The tour starts on February 13 in Philadelphia at Franklin Music Hall and runs through May 6 in London at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

The North American leg includes stops in:

  • Brooklyn (Brooklyn Steel) and Washington, D.C. (Anthem)
  • Toronto (History) and Chicago (Salt Shed, indoor)
  • Seattle (Paramount Theater) and Portland (Revolution Hall)
  • Oakland (Fox Theater) and Los Angeles (Hollywood Palladium), which closes that leg on March 14

After a break, the band heads home. The UK and Ireland leg begins in late April with Scottish shows in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, then moves on to Dublin, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Norwich before the London finale.

Pitchfork’s listing includes the full set of dates and venues, so check there for your city. Ticket details weren’t part of the announcement we reviewed, so watch the band’s official channels for on-sale information.

What it means for fans

Six years is a long time in pop, and plenty of bands that pause for that long never quite come back. Chvrches returning with a full album, a clear creative direction and a sizable tour is a strong signal that they’re settling in for a new chapter rather than a one-off reunion.

The venue choices are also telling. Mid-size rooms like Brooklyn Steel, the Anthem and the Hollywood Palladium suggest the band is confident its audience is still there and eager to hear the new songs live.

The wrap-up

All the King’s Men lands January 22, “Roses” is already out, and the tour kicks off February 13 in Philadelphia. Whether the new indie rock direction wins over longtime synth-pop fans is the big question, but after six years, most fans will simply be glad to have new Chvrches music on the way.

Image: Crowd People by Anthony Delanoix via StockSnap, CC0 1.0