This Friday, July 15, sees Irish post-rock maestros GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT release a very special anniversary album: With 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, the four-piece comes full circle with their new live studio epos, The Beginning Of The End. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.

To shorten your wait until the record finally arrives this Friday via Napalm Records, today, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have premiered a brand new music video for their classic “Route 666”! The new live studio version kicks off with its praised synth and dark wave beat, taking the listener on a ride into the otherworldly sounds GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT has created for two decades.

““Route 666“ is the oldest God Is An Astronaut song. It was written in 1999 before God Is An Astronaut was formed,“ Torsten Kinsella reveals.

“Initially Niels and I came up with the name / subject matter after watching US Televangelist Don Stewart pitching his green prosperity prayer handkerchief on the TV which we found obviously ludicrous, equally entertaining and humorous. 

Back in the early years when we would play “Route 666“ live we would use some old film clips from the 1968 Horror film “The Devil Rides out“. Needless to say the whole vibe was satirical.“

With their upcoming release, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades.  Songs such as “From Dust to the Beyond”, “Coda or “Route 666″ can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.

The release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned “From Dust to the Beyond”, as well as album title track “The End of the Beginning” – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.

Kinsella adds:           
“From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we are now seeing the same unfold once again.”

Purchase your album copy of The Beginning Of The End HERE

The Beginning Of The End track listing:

1. The End of the Beginning
2. From Dust to the Beyond
3. Ascend to Oblivion
4. Coda
5. Remembrance
6. Point Pleasant
7. Fall from the Stars
8. Twilight
9. Coma
10. Route 666
11. Lost Symphony

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT Live: Find all dates & tickets HERE!

With 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, Irish post-rock maestros GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT come full circle with a live studio epos, The Beginning Of The End, due out July 15, 2022 via Napalm Records. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the anniversary album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.

Following previously released first single “From Dust to the Beyond”, today GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have shared a brand new music video for “Coda”. To this day, the song is lauded as one of the highlights on GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s 2002 debut album. Featuring one of the best choruses the Irish space rock band has ever created, its compelling drums and soaring, spacey mood represent their songwriting qualities throughout.

Bassist Niels Kinsella reveals:         

“Coda was written late in December 2002, the first draft of “The End of the Beginning” had already been released. In 2003 we added “Point Pleasant” (inspired by the Mothman Prophecies) and Coda (inspired by the beauty of the cosmos) to the album.”

“We had some challenges to overcome to perform “Coda” live – the original version was primarily programmed and had large parts that were reversed which was a challenge to recreate in a live performance. We also took the opportunity to expand on the song writing with more variation in the melody.”

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s upcoming release provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Stage classics such as “From Dust to the Beyond”, “Coda or “Route 666″ can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.

Niels comments:    
“When we recorded the “The End of the Beginning” we only had limited equipment; we couldn’t even record full live performances. The Beginning of the End gave us the opportunity to perform the whole album live and allowed us to bring more feeling and expression to the music and songs. We’re very excited to share this with everyone.”

The release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned “From Dust to the Beyond”, as well as album title track “The End of the Beginning” – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.

Torsten Kinsella adds:         
“From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we are now seeing the same unfold once again.”

Pre-Order The Beginning Of The End HERE

The Beginning Of The End track listing:

1. The End of the Beginning
2. From Dust to the Beyond
3. Ascend to Oblivion
4. Coda
5. Remembrance
6. Point Pleasant
7. Fall from the Stars
8. Twilight
9. Coma
10. Route 666
11. Lost Symphony

In 2022, with 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, Irish post-rock maestros GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT come full circle with a live studio output, The Beginning Of The End, due out on July 15, 2022 via Napalm Records. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.

Stage classics such as “From Dust to the Beyond” and “Route 666″ can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.

“When we recorded the “The End of the Beginning” we only had limited equipment,; we couldn’t even record full live performances,“ bassist Niels Kinsella reveals. “The Beginning of the End gave us the opportunity to perform the whole album live and allowed us to bring more feeling and expression to the music and songs. We’re very excited to share this with everyone.”

Today, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have premiered a brand new music video for the otherworldly, re-recorded single “From Dust to the Beyond”; a song that has even been aired on MTV and now perfectly balances the band’s melancholic post-rock manner and a menacing yet dreamy atmosphere.

Says Torsten Kinsella: “From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we are now seeing the same unfold once again!“

The release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned “From Dust to the Beyond”, as well as album title track “The End of the Beginning” – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s upcoming release provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Made enthralling and memorable with live momentum, The Beginning Of The End belongs in every well-curated post-rock record collection!

Pre-Order The Beginning Of The End HERE

The Beginning Of The End track listing:

1. The End of the Beginning
2. From Dust to the Beyond
3. Ascend to Oblivion
4. Coda
5. Remembrance
6. Point Pleasant
7. Fall from the Stars
8. Twilight
9. Coma
10. Route 666
11. Lost Symphony

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT Live: Find all dates & tickets HERE!

Irish four-piece GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have issued the following about their upcoming tour:

The Beginning of the End Tour
  
“We hope this finds you well.
  Unfortunately, we have some more changes to the touring schedule for 2022 and beyond.

Over the last few years, as most of you already know, we have been unable to tour due to the pandemic and the restrictions they have brought. Some of the band have become dependent on other forms of income outside of music and can longer commit to the busy touring schedules of the past. To this end we have had to cancel and reschedule 22 shows. Sheffield, Manchester and Gothenburg have been cancelled and refunded; all the other shows will take place over the next 18 months.”

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT live:
w/ Oh Hiroshima, Barrens, Kokomo, Nothing, What Aleph Said
10.03.22 UK – Glasgow / Oran Mor
11.03.22 UK – London / O2 Islington Academy
12.03.22 UK – Leeds / Belgrave Music Hall
13.03.22 UK – Bristol / The Fleece
06.04.22 FR – Lille / L’Aeronef +
07.04.22 BE – Gent / Vooruit + =
08.04.22 DE – Berlin / Hole44 +
09.04.22 PL – Poznan / Tama +
10.04.22 PL – Warsaw / Niebo +
23.04.22 NL – Utrecht / De Helling +
24.04.22 DE – Wiesbaden / Schlachthof +
01.05.22 UK – Brighton / Bad Pond Fest
09.05.22 DE – Köln / Gebäude 9 #
10.05.22 FR – Paris / Petit Bain #
11.05.22 FR – Angoulême / La Nef #
12.05.22 ES – Bilbao / Stage Live #
13.05.22 PT – Porto / Casa da Música #
14.05.22 PT – Lisbon / LAV #15.05.22 ES – Madrid / Mon #
17.05.22 ES – Murcia /Garaje #
18.05.22 ES – Barcelona / Apolo 2 #
19.05.22 FR – Lyon / Ninkasi Kao #
20.05.22 CH – Geneva / PTR L’Usine # ~
03.07.22 UK – Newark /Tech Fest
06.07.22 IT – Milano / Circolo Magnolia !
07.07.22 IT – Rome / Rock in Rome !
08.07.22 IT – Aquileia / Concretion Fest
10.07.22 IT – Cagliari / Fabrik
20.08.22 FR – Saint-nolff / Motocultor Fest
02.09.22 DE – Hannover / Musikzentrum +
03.09.22 CZ – Prague / Meet Factory +
04.09.22 AT – Wien / Szene +
06.09.22 CH – Zürich / Plaza +
07.09.22 DE – München / Backstage +
09.09.22 DE – Hamburg / Knust +
10.09.22 DE – Dresden / Beatpol +

#Oh Hiroshima
+BARRENS
=Kokomo
!NOTHING
~What Aleph Said

17.04.23 LT – Riga / Melna Piektdiena
18.04.23 EE – Tallin / Tapper
19.04.23 FI – Helsinki / Tavastia
21.04.23 SE – Stockholm / Debaser
23.04.23 DK – Copenhagen / Hotel Cecil
21.09.23 IT – Turin / Hiroshima Mon Amour
22.09.23 IT – Foligno Auditorium / San Domenico
23.09.23 SI – Ljubljana / Kino Šiška
24.09.23 HR – Zagreb / Močvara
25.09.23 HU – Budapest / Dürer Kert

Reigning as one of the most well-known and highly critically acclaimed experimental instrumental groups out there with a respected musical legacy spanning nearly 20 years, Irish four-piece GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT reached a career benchmark with the release of their critically acclaimed 10th studio album, Ghost Tapes #10, in February 2021.
 
Today, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT releases a magical music video for “Luminous Waves“, the album closer on Ghost Tapes #10. Musically and visually, the track portrays the beauty and calm of the ocean. A gentle melody is created by a binaural-like bass, a slow-paced acoustic guitar and an ambient electric guitar blur with the mellow sounds of featured cellist Jo Quail and atmospheric background tones, which draws its listeners down into dazing depths. “Luminous Waves” remains entirely without drums and adapts to its own natural rhythm, just as constantly pushing and pulling ocean waves, before it softly fades out into infinity.

Torsten Kinsella on Luminous Waves:
“The song “Luminous Waves” was inspired by the meditative feeling of the waves coming in from the Ocean.
Jo Quail added a beautiful and inspiring Cello and also created the atmospheric sounds.”
 
Jo Quail adds:
“Writing and recording the cello lines for “Luminous Waves” was a privilege. The depth, richness and meditative nature of this track implied a clear narrative to me, that I hoped to convey a little within the parts I created, working in and around the many moments of sonic and textural beauty created by GIAA.”

Watch the official video for “Luminous Waves” HERE:

Get your copy of Ghost Tapes #10 NOW!

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT live:
w/ Butterfly Explosion
28.10.21 IE – Cork / Cyprus Avenue
29.10.21 IE – Dublin / The Academy

More than three months after the release of the release of GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s critical acclaimed tenth studio album Ghost Tapes #10, the Irish four-piece presents a new official video for “Barren Trees”. The song is the most emotive and haunting song on the album and it’s also the only song that includes lyrics and vocals mixed as an instrument, so they blend in with the overall sound of the song. The additional guitar parts by Jimmy Scanlan complete the special sound design crafted on “Barren Trees”.
 
Inspired by the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, “Barren Trees” reflects the overall feeling of the band in November 2019, when this piece of art was written.

“Fade to darkness, frozen ground
Leaves fallen, barren trees
Snowy twilight, cold moon rising
Creaking branches, moving shadows
Where the spectres of winter are rising.“
– (Lyrics)-

Watch the official music video for “Barren Trees” HERE:

Reigning as one of the most well-known and highly critically acclaimed experimental instrumental groups out there with a respected musical legacy spanning nearly 20 years, Irish four-piece GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT just reached a career benchmark with the release of their critical acclaimed 10th studio album, Ghost Tapes #10, about three months ago.

As most vinyl formats are completely sold out, Ghost Tapes #10 will be available as a special and strictly limited Glow In The Dark format on June 25.

Pre-Order the Glow In The Dark vinyl NOW!

Ghost Tapes #10 is certainly the most ferocious GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT full-length to date – it still retains all the rich musical and emotive elements the band is known for by wheeling around luminance, but offers harsh and deep reminiscences as well. Works of art like “Burial”, “In Flux” and “Barren Trees”, with additional guitars by Jimmy Scanlan, amongst others, are proof of these creations of sound. The album’s closer, the atmospheric “Luminous Waves”, captivates in a trance-like mindset – putting one deeply in touch with their inner self, drifting away to stirring tunes of guest cello virtuoso Jo Quail.

Get your copy of Ghost Tapes #10 NOW!

The artwork was illustrated by David Rooney, who has worked with the band in the past, and plays into the sense of the foreboding and uncertain times we live in. Ghost Tapes #10 is available as a four-page digipack as well as in multiple limited LP options. 

Tracklisting:
1. Adrift
2. Burial
3. In Flux
4. Spectres
5. Fade
6. Barren Trees
7. Luminous Waves