Having recently released the “Reason to Stay” single earlier this month, Pixel Grip has now announced details for the band’s long-awaited third album, titled Percepticide: the Death of Reality. Following up on the highly acclaimed ARENA from 2021, the new album was created in the midst of a tumultuous time for the band, during which vocalist Rita Lukea spent months in isolation, while drummer Tyler Ommen entered a recovery program, leaving keyboardist Jonathon Freund to immerse himself in the Chicago underground scene; all of this followed a rigorous touring schedule for ARENA, which led to interpersonal issues that informed the overarching themes of recovering one’s sense of reality after a traumatic period of disarray. “For what felt like the first time, and we all worked together on these songs after essentially breaking up, we were able to come together for the first time in years and work creatively on fresh ideas,” Freund recalls as the band worked with producer Joo Joo Ashworth (SASAMI, King Tuff), whom Lukea had met after a writing trip to Los Angeles. Calling Percepticide “a cognitive distortion and a symptom of trauma,” Lukea expresses her hope that the album’s exploration of rage, grief, betrayal, and rebirth will help to empower others to feel less alone.
Due to be released on June 12, Percepticide: the Death of Reality features 12 new tracks, four of which have been released as singles – “Bet You Do,” “Stamina,” “Split,” and the aforementioned “Reason to Stay.”
Furthermore, Pixel Grip will be embarking on a North American tour from September 23 to November 14; with a full listing of dates and ticket links available via the band’s website, stops on the tour include St. Louis, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Denver, San Diego, Las Vegas, Portland, Brooklyn, DC, Houston, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and more, concluding in the band’s hometown of Chicago.
