The wait for a new Beths album is still ongoing, though we might not have to go much longer without a follow-up to Expert in a Dying Field: The New Zealand rock band has officially announced its signing to ANTI- Records and released their new single “Metal.” It’s the band’s first non-cover single since 2023’s “Watching the Credits,” which we named the 19th-best track of that year. “What makes the Beths so good is not just their chemistry, but the fact that they can make a standalone single rock so heavily,” I wrote then. “It speaks to how they endure as one of the most exciting rock bands in the world right now.”
To coincide with the new track and signing, the Beths have also announced a massive UK, EU, and North American tour. They’ll play shows across the globe with Phoebe Rings, Bret McKenzie, Squirrel Flower, and illuminati hotties.
Bandleader Elizabeth Stokes said of “Metal”: “For parts of the last few years, I kind of felt like my body was a vehicle that had carried me pretty well thus far but was breaking down, something I had little to no control over. All of the steps in the Rube Goldberg machine of life are so unlikely, and yet here we are in it. I have a hunger and a curiosity for learning about the world around me, and for learning about myself. And despite all the ways that my body feels like a broken machine, I still marvel at the complexity of such a machine.”
“I can hold that knowledge in one hand, and yet with the other hand I can point to my reflection and just be like ‘you are shit.’ Or ‘ugly.’ Or ‘worthless,’” she continued. “I can reliably respond to any suggestion that I might be able to achieve any small thing with ‘no.’ And these are variations of the ‘short word’ referenced in the song.”
Listen to “Metal” and check out the Beth’s upcoming tour dates below.
The Beths’ Upcoming Tour Dates: 09-18 Dublin, Ireland – Button Factory 09-20 Manchester, England – Albert Hall 09-21 Glasgow, England – SWG3 TV Studio 09-22 Leeds, England – Project House 09-24 Bristol, England – O2 Academy 09-25 Birmingham, England – XOYO 09-26 London, England – Roundhouse 09-27 Brighton, England – Chalk 09-29 Tourcoing, France – Le Grand Mix 09-30 Paris, France – Le Trabendo 10-01 Brussels, Belgium – Botanique 10-03 Cologne, Germany – Kantine 10-04 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso 10-05 Hamburg, Germany – Krust 10-07 Stockholm, Sweden – Slaktkyrkan 10-08 Oslo, Norway – Parkteatret Scene 10-09 Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset 10-11 Berlin, Germany – Lido 10-12 Munich, Germany – Strom 10-13 Zurich, Switzerland – Plaza 10-15 Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz 2 10-16 Madrid, Spain – Nazca 10-17 Lisbon, Portugal – Lisboa ao Vivo 10-30 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel & 10-31 Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse & 11-01 Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl & 11-03 Dallas, TX – The Studio At The Bomb Factory & 11-04 Austin, TX – Emo’s & 11-06 Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren & 11-07 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern & ^ 11-08 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore & 11-12 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades & 11-14 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom & 11-15 Seattle, WA – The Moore Theatre & 11-16 Vancouver, British Columbia – Commodore Ballroom & 11-18 Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall & 11-19 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre & 11-21 Kansas City, MO – The Truman & 11-22 Saint Paul, MN – Palace Theatre & 11-23 Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (Indoor) & + 11-25 Cleveland, OH – Globe Iron & 11-26 Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre & 11-28 Toronto, Ontario – Danforth Music Hall & 11-29 Montreal, Quebec – Beanfield Theatre & 12-02 Boston, MA – Royale & 12-03 Providence, RI – Fete Music Hall & 12-05 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount & # 12-06 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer & 12-09 Washington, D.C. – 9:30 Club & & with Phoebe Rings ^ with Bret McKenzie + with Squirrel Flower # with illuminati hotties
