By DJ Monk
Just as they prepare to break new, potentially muddy, ground with their first ever appearance at Bloodstock, ÜR’s favourite reprobates, The Wildhearts, have announced that they are to release a new six-track EP, ‘Diagnosis’, in October.
It will feature five new tracks and will be released as a limited edition special white vinyl with pale blue powder splatter 10” (to look like a pill) and as a regular black vinyl 10″ and CD. All three physical formats will also include an exclusive bespoke inner gatefold comic strip illustrated by the award-winning Hunt Emerson, who last worked with the band on the ‘Earth vs…’ cover and their classic logo.
CJ Wildheart told Über Rock:
“Well fuck me we dropped our first new album [‘Renaissance Men’] in 10 years back in May and blow me down if we didn’t drop a humdinger of an album full of monster riffs and razor sweet melodies. Well, we’ve not only gone back in to the studio to record 5 new songs that will be released as the Diagnosis mini album in October, we’re hitting the road too. We have some great supports confirmed already – The Professionals and Janus Stark – and I know there are some other amazing bands to be added to the rest of the tour.
“You’re going to love the new mini album and the surprises we have on there and the tour is going to be one you should not miss. You can’t keep a good band down.”
Ginger Wildheart explained the background to the EP’s title and lead track:
“[‘Diagnosis’ is about] mental health institutions and the medical health profession in this country, and about how it’s letting people down. How the system is broken, and how the suicide rate is not getting any less. Depression and mental illness isn’t an issue that attacks any one type of person. Whether you’re homeless or if you’re rich, this illness is taking people out on a regular basis. The government has pulled most of the funding into mental health research, and as a result people are still ignorant about it.
“Education is everything. And the more people talk about depression, the more need there’ll be for education, and the more people will want educating about an issue that doesn’t just affect the people suffering from it, but it affects everyone around them. And when someone is in a desperate position and their hope is taken away, then they’re at the mercy of an illness that wants them dead. There’s nothing more important in the world than education on mental health issues.”
‘Diagnosis’ is available HERE.
To coincide with both the ‘Diagnosis’ announcement and their Bloodstock appearance tomorrow afternoon, The Wildhearts have also released a video for the title track to ‘Renaissance Men’:
As previously announced, ‘Earth vs The Wildhearts’ will be re-issued on vinyl on 13 September – the first time The Wildhearts’ classic debut album has been available in 26 years. You can pre-order your copy HERE.