Early next year, Jethro Tull will release “The Zealot Gene“, their first studio album in over 18 years. The album began to take shape as early as 2017 and was intended to be released in 2020 before the pandemic intervened. The album is said to explore themes of Biblical storytelling, as Ian Anderson explains: “While I have a spot of genuine fondness for the pomp and fairytale story-telling of the Holy Book, I still feel the need to question and draw sometimes unholy parallels from the text. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly rear their heads throughout, but are punctuated with elements of love, respect, and tenderness.”
Looking back on the earth-shaking disruption of the Coronavirus pandemic… It was so sudden”, says Anderson. “Amidst the concerns and warnings of the scientific community and a few more enlightened politicians, we all retreated in disbelief to our homes to wait out the storm.”
You can preview ‘Shoshana Sleeping’ from the album
“The Zealot Gene” is available across a number of formats. The 2CD+blu-ray edition offers a bonus disc of demos and a blu-ray which features a 5.1 surround sound mix (by Jakko Jakszyk). Sleeve notes include an interview with Ian Anderson conducted by Tim Bowness.
The 2LP vinyl edition includes a large format art book and comes with a CD of the album, while a deluxe box set also contains the booklet along with three white vinyl LPs (one is exclusive and contains demos) along with two CDs and the 5.1 blu-ray. This also includes a turntable slipmat and a hand-numbered print.
‘The Zealot Gene’, released 28th January 2022
The Fat Angel Sings 