Caution:Thieves Unveil Debut Album The Astronomer With Lead Single ‘The Sun Of Another World’

Hot on the heels of their latest EP Prologue: The Slow Resign Of A Dying Star’, Melbourne post-hardcore heroes Caution:Thieves have announced the release date of their debut full length album, The Astronomer, due to land in your ears on Friday October 31^st. To coincide with the news, the band has dropped the first taste of the album with lead single ‘The Sun Of Another World’, an epic, upbeat melodic track with an earworm chorus you’ll struggle to get out of your head.

Speaking with frontman Nicholas Simonsen, he explains that the origins of The Astronomer trace back to Melbourne's harsh lockdowns in 2020.

"As we were heading into lockdown in Melbourne, I figured the best way to bide my time was to start writing towards our next release. We’d dropped an EP in 2019 and had planned on spending a lot of 2020 taking those songs on the road, but it wasn’t meant to be.

When we hit the second lockdown in Melbourne, we had a tonne of songs written and demoed, and a release was starting to take shape.

By the time Melbourne eventually came out of lockdown, we had well over an album’s worth of material in the can, which inevitably lead to the recording of both the Prologue EP and The Astronomer itself.

16 songs across two releases that build one big concept."‍

Both releases were helmed by Melbourne-based producer and Dream On, Dreamer guitarist Callan Orr, known for his work with a slew of great Australian talent like Hands Likes Houses, Stepson, The Comfort and many more. Simonsen notes that Orr was always the right man for the job.

"Cal’s an old friend, and he just understood the vision from the jump. We actually worked with him on our very first EP The Same Sky, and when the time came to get started on this body of work, we knew it was time to get back together and make some magic happen.

The aim was always to go big with the album. We’d learned a lot from our previous releases and were very driven to up the ante with the album and push for something ambitious, so the songs felt as expansive as the concept itself. We tracked all 16 songs across four different sessions, which gave us some time to really dial in every aspect and push ourselves.

Personally, I had gone through some serious issues with my vocal cords thank to Covid and went through a period where I had to consider stepping away from the vocal spot in the band.

‍Cal was instrumental in helping me gain my confidence back and pushed me to deliver my favourite vocal performances to date."

‍Caution:Thieves are quite the hard band to pin down musically, and The Astronomer reaffirms that across its 12 tracks. One minute, you’re met with breakneck speed and aggression, the next, you’re hearing a delicate dream like instrumental or a soaring melodic chorus before launching straight into a pummelling low tuned pit stomper.

The frontman further adds that this melting pot of dynamics is all done by design.

"Honestly, we just love a lot of different music and have always enjoyed albums that move in unexpected ways. The last thing we wanted to do was stay in one place or one sound for too long.‍

I think back to when I heard albums like Define The Great Line by Underoath or Worship & Tribute by Glassjaw for the first time, both blew my mind and surprised the hell out of me as every track unfolded in my ears. From the gnarliest riffs that would make any crowd erupt with violence, to undeniable pop sensibilities and addictive choruses in the blink of an eye.

We always wanted to create something that would throw people on first listen, but also something that would deliver more and more on repeat listens.

Here’s hoping people hone in on all the little easter eggs throughout."

Get your first sample below and snag a pre-order via the band's Bandcamp.

Words by Paul 'Browny' Brown @brownypaul