JUNO-Award winning metallic noise rock band, KEN mode, will see their sixth studio album, Success, released on June 16th through New Damage Records in Canada. The album is now available for pre-order at iTunes and New Damage Records. Fans who pre-order the album digitally will receive the lead single “Blessed” as an instant grat track.

KEN mode has released the track “These Tight Jeans”. On the song, guitarist/vocalist Jesse Matthewson had this to say, “”These Tight Jeans” is a post punk-rock tribute to the absolute insanity of the 'hater' culture that plagues the media, social networking, and our daily lives as human beings alive in 2015. The first line of the song says it all: "I would like to learn how to kill the nicest man in the world". Stop disrespecting each other and go run a marathon, do some push-ups, read a book, create something: get a life. Life's too short.”

“These Tight Jeans”, which features guest vocals by Jill Clapham, is streaming below:

KEN mode recently shared the music video for “Blessed”. Directed by Christopher Mills (Rush, Metric), the video features appearances from guest vocalist Eugene Robinson (Oxbow), guest cellist Natanielle Felicitas and guest noise by Full of Hell’s Dylan Walker. Watch below.

Success, is the follow-up record to the band’s Polaris-recognized and JUNO-nominated album Entrench. Produced by legendary engineer Steve Albini (Nirvana, The Pixies), the album marks a departure for the band both sonically and lyrically. The 9 tracks that make up their latest offering, showcase a shift from the classic spitting of metallic hardcore tinged vitriol, that the band has become know for, to a more raw, mature and even at times humorous indie rock aesthetic. Recorded entirely to analog tape in the band’s home of Winnipeg, MB, Success is the most rock and roll effort the band has ever put forth.

When writing their latest album, the band set out to pay tribute to where they've come from. The album is a salute to both their Canadian Prairie roots and a time when they first started to care about making music; the burgeoning 'grunge' and Touch & Go/Dischord scenes of the late 80's/early 90s. Lyrically, the band's fascination with comedy spirals around classical western concepts of 'success' - from employment, sex, marriage, religion, socioeconomic standing, and particularly the many perceptions people have of how they, and those around them, happen to fit into the world.

Formed in 1999, KEN mode is comprised of Jesse Matthewson (Guitar, Piano, Vocals), Shane Matthewson (Drums) and newly acquired bassist Skot Hamilton. To date, the band has released five internationally distributed full-length records, including 2011’s JUNO award-winning Venerable and 2013’s WCMA winning album Entrench. Known for their devastating live shows, KEN mode has been actively touring Canada, the United States and Europe since 2002 with

such acts as Russian Circles, Torche, Deafheaven, Norma Jean, Kylesa, Pelican, Daughters, Revocation and Today is the Day, maintaining an unrelenting schedule for the past 5 years.

KEN mode has just announced a short North American tour in support of Success for June with Fight Amp. The tour features Canadian dates in Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg.  

 

 

(Artwork: Randy Ortiz)

 

 

Tracklisting:

“Blessed”
“These Tight Jeans”
“The Owl…”
“I Just Liked Fire”
“Management Control”
“A Passive Disaster”
“Failing At Fun Since 1981”
“A Catalog Of Small Disappointment”
“Dead Actors”

“Blessed” video:

North American Tour Dates:

June

16 - Toronto, ON – The Shop (Parts & Labour) #
17 - Montreal, QC – Turbo Haus #
18 - Brooklyn, NY – St. Vitus #
19 - Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie #
20 - Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups #
21 - Chicago, IL – The Burlington #
26 - Winnipeg, MB – The Goodwill

# with Fight Amp