Havok is back with their first new material in four years, and they've given us all zero warning. Havok is now streaming their new EP New Eyes featuring two originals the band's takes on Metallica's "Eye of the Beholder" and Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Commotion."
"New Eyes is an exciting step forward as it's Havok's first independent release since the early days of the band," said Havok frontman David Sanchez of the EP. "'Death Is An Illusion' introduces the band's first release since 2020 with ferocious speed and aggression that Havok has become known for. The EP's intro appeals to fans of metal and punk alike with its D-Beat rhythms and gang vocal choruses. The title track, 'New Eyes.' is a dynamic harmony-driven song about one's perspective changing over time and reflection. These new songs were fun to write and I think people may be surprised by the ambiguous and metaphysical nature of the lyrics."
Regarding the covers, Sanchez added: "We decided to cover a classic band that nobody would expect us to… Credence Clearwater Revival. We're all CCR fans and their song, 'Commotion,' was a perfect candidate for a proper 'metalizing,' since most of the metal was already built-in. We made it a little faster, turned up the distortion, and tweaked some riffs here and there to bend into the Havok style."
"We had discussed covering a Metallica song for years, but didn't want to cover a big hit that had been covered to death, so we opted for the lesser-known 'Eye Of The Beholder.' We chose to cover this song because it's so damned heavy and the lyrics reflect Havok's lyrical themes throughout the last decade. We stayed true to the original where it counts, but made sure to spice up the bass guitar and drums to breathe new life into the track.
"All in all, releasing the New Eyes EP will be a major turning point in our musical journey and we hope that we'll reach new fans and resonate with people who have been supporting Havok over the years. We're stoked to play these new songs live and give fans the chance to scream the lyrics with us!"
Havok will hit the road starting tomorrow with Exodus, Candy, and Dead Heat. The tour kicks off on November 2 in Tampa, FL, and will thrash across North America, ultimately concluding on December 7 in Los Angeles, CA. Tickets are available here.
11/2 Tampa, FL The Orpheum
11/4 Orlando, FL House of Blues
11/5 Pensacola, FL Vinyl Music Hall
11/6 Atlanta, GA Heaven Masquerade
11/8 Dallas, TX Granada
11/9 Austin, TX Empire
11/11 Denver, CO Ogden
11/13 Des Moines, IA Wooly's
11/14 Joliet, IL The Forge
11/15 Columbus, OH King of Clubs
11/16 Baltimore, MD Soundstage
11/17 Bethlehem, PA Wind Creek Event Center
11/18 Montreal, QC Beanfield Theatre
11/19 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
11/21 Worcester, MA Palladium Upstairs
11/22 Brooklyn, NY Warsaw
11/23 Pittsburgh, PA Preserving
11 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
11/26 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
11/27 Winnipeg, MB Exchange Event Centre
11/29 Calgary, AB Palace Theatre
11/30 Edmonton, AB Union Hall
12/2 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw Theatre
12/3 Seattle, WA El Corazon
12/4 Portland, OR Hawthorne
12/6 Berkeley, CA UC Theatre
12/7 Los Angeles, CA The Regent
12/8 Mesa, AZ Nile Underground (Havok only)
12/9 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad (Havok only)
