London-based alternative progressive rock band Temples on Mars return with their new full-length album — a focused and cohesive collection that expands on the sound they’ve built across their previous releases. Following their self-titled debut and the darker, electronic-driven Parallels V.1, the band’s latest effort shows them at their most refined, exploring new textures while staying true to their core identity.
 
Recorded between studios in London and Los Angeles, the album features 10 tracks that balance heavy riffs, atmospheric electronics, and melodic hooks. “We’re always creating, so there wasn’t a single lightbulb moment,” says frontman James Donaldson. “This album just happens to be the 10 tracks that felt the most cohesive and represented a real step up from our last record.”
 
Several songs feature Josh Freese (Foo Fighters, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails) on drums, adding further depth to the record’s sound. Lyrically, the album explores themes of awareness, mortality, and reflection. “Be aware of what’s going on around you — at all levels,” the band notes. “Open your eyes, ask questions, appreciate the moment, and live.”

The Last Ship is available on all digital platforms including Spotify Deezer Apple Music Amazon Music

Tracks like “Sleepwalking into Extinction” and “Daydreamer” have already found success, both breaking into the Radioscope Top 40 Rock Charts in Donaldson’s native New Zealand, while third single “Smile” brings a darker edge to the album’s introspective tone.
 
Temples on Mars took a deliberate approach to shaping the album’s sound, tuning lower and leaning further into their electronic influences. “Each track was individually inspired,” the band explains. “We even left a few songs off that felt more suited to the next direction we’re heading.”
 
Production was handled by Darren Carikas and James Donaldson, with drums recorded in both London and Los Angeles. Paul Matthews co-produced and engineered the vocals, and Ted Jensen (Sterling Sound, Nashville) mastered the album.
 
Having performed at Download UK, Radar Festival, Euroblast, Planet Rock Winter’s End, and completed a headline tour of South Africa, Temples on Mars continue to grow their global following. This release captures a band in motion — heavier, sharper, and more purposeful than ever.

More information: https://www.templesonmars.com/

London-based alternative progressive rock band Temples on Mars are back with their brand-new single Safeword, the latest track from their upcoming full-length album The Last Ship, set for release on 31st October 2025.

“We are over the moon to finally be back with our brand new single Safeword,” the band share. “This is our first release since July 2023 and we are very grateful to be able to return. We have had a lot going on outside of the band with births, family tragedy, illnesses, other projects etc, all on top of the realities of being in a small band in a highly competitive industry so our timeline just kept moving back. Although lyrically the song is about having a safe word to make things stop, the reality is quite the opposite. Coming back with this single is a show of resilience which is very much part of the Temples on Mars DNA. So many times, it would have been a lot easier to just walk away but we have kept grinding. Musically it is a new direction for Temples on Mars and leans towards the electronic side of our sound more so than the heavy.”

Recorded between London and Los Angeles, Safeword was produced by Darren Carikas and James Donaldson, and mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, Nashville.

Speaking on the track’s origins, frontman James Donaldson adds, “Believe it or not the original idea for ‘Safeword’ was a heavy Rammstein-esque riff. I just couldn’t get it to work overall so I left it alone for a while and decided to take it all apart and approach it from a completely different angle which became the Safeword you hear today. At that point in time there were lots of things going on in my life; kind of enough that I wished I had a safe word to make it all stop and just get a breather somewhere comforting and beautiful.”

Buy / Stream Safeword

Formed in 2018, Temples on Mars have steadily carved out a name for themselves with their unique blend of progressive heaviness and electronic textures. Their self-titled debut album, released via Primordial Records, garnered international acclaim and led to tours across the UK, Europe, and South Africa. Follow-up EP Parallels V.1 showcased the band’s darker electronic side, further expanding their sonic identity.

With a post-pandemic resurgence on the live circuit, including performances at Download Festival UK and Radar Festival, Temples on Mars are now gearing up for their most ambitious release yet. The forthcoming album—featuring contributions from renowned drummer Josh Freese (Foo Fighters, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ Roses)—continues to push boundaries, highlighting both their accessible hooks and uncompromising heaviness.

Earlier singles “Sleepwalking into Extinction” and “Daydreamer” made waves internationally, breaking into the Radioscope Top 40 Rock Charts in New Zealand, while “Smile” added a grungy existential edge to their repertoire. “Safeword” now marks the next chapter in the band’s evolution—a powerful statement of resilience, reinvention, and forward momentum.

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UK-based alternative progressive rock quartet TEMPLES ON MARS are excited to announce the release of their latest single and accompanying music video. With their thought-provoking lyrics and genre-bending sound, the band dives deep into the profound questions of existence and the fleeting nature of life in their newest offering.

Titled Smile, the band’s poignant new single delves into the concept of living each day as if it were your last. The track presents a musical exploration of existentialism, urging listeners to contemplate how they would spend their remaining time if they knew it was limited. With powerful vocals, gripping instrumentals, and evocative melodies, the single draws listeners into an introspective journey, inviting them to reflect on their own lives and priorities.

Accompanying the single is a visually stunning music video that enhances the song’s introspective theme. Directed by the band’s bassist Darren Carikas, the video captures the band’s artistic vision and complements the song’s exploration of life’s profound questions.

The band’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of progressive rock is evident in Smile. Their unique fusion of musical styles and their ability to craft intricate compositions while maintaining a sense of accessibility is showcased in this latest release. Their exceptional musicianship and their knack for evoking deep emotions through their music continue to captivate audiences and solidify their position in the alternative rock scene.

Stream and buy the single at https://ffm.to/q2rqp3o

About Temples on Mars
Formed in January 2018, TEMPLES ON MARS are an alternative progressive rock band from London (UK) featuring James Donaldson on guitar/vocals, Gerald Gill on guitar, Daz Carikas on bass guitar and Dean Gibb on drums.
 
Temples on Mars released their self-titled debut album on 6th April 2018 via Dutch record label Primordial Records, which was recorded by award winning producer Paul Matthews at Kingston Road Studios and mastered by Sebastian Braunreuther at Mix Berlin in Germany. “Temples on Mars” received glowing reviews worldwide and the release was supported by a UK headline tour and accompanied with various international support slots and festival appearances at MacMillan Fest (UK), Progpower (Netherlands), Planet Rock Winter’s End (UK), Euroblast (Germany) to name a few, followed by a headline tour of South Africa. During this period the band’s sound was compared by the media to the more accessible likes of Muse and Nothing More with undertones of proggier acts like Karnivool, Mastodon, and Tesseract.
 
Temples on Mars’ second offering, “Parallels V.1” EP, was recorded at YouTube Space in London and released on July 3rd 2020 along with several accompanying videos also shot at YouTube Space during the recording of the EP. “Parallels V.1” is a self-produced collection of 5 alternative versions of tracks chosen from the debut album which has seen the band developing a darker, more electronic side of their sound.
 
Work has recently been completed on Temples on Mars’ next full-length album working-titled “The Plot to Murder Time”. Written and recorded at various studios between London and Los Angeles during the height of the global pandemic in 2020/2021, the new album sees Temples on Mars further define their own sound by pushing the more accessible and electronic elements to the forefront whilst continuing to dial up the overall heaviness. Due to covid restrictions limiting drum recording, Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Guns n Roses) played the drums for a number of tracks.
 
The first single from the new album “Sleepwalking into Extinction” was released on 20th May 2022 and has arguably been the bands most successful release to date peaking at number 15 in the Radioscope Top 40 Rock Charts in James’ home country of New Zealand.
 
2022 has largely been the restart of the post-covid live music environment and Temples on Mars have returned to the live stage with some notable appearances at Download Festival UK, Radar Festival UK, along with a mix of headline and support slots.