WATCH: CODE ORANGE DROP SINGLE “TAKE SHAPE” FT. BILLY CORGAN
Photo: Tim Saccenti
Twice Grammy-nominated heavy innovators CODE ORANGE have shared brand new track “Take Shape” and its official video featuring guest vocals from Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan. The song and video come with the announcement of their new album “The Above”, set for release on September 29th via Blue Grape Music. This is first new studio album since the band’s critically acclaimed 2020 record “Underneath”. The record is self-produced by the band’s Jami Morgan and Eric “Shade” Balderose with engineering by producer legend Steve Albini.
“Take Shape” is another example of why CO are one of the most innovative and exciting bands in the scene as they seamlessly blend sounds and influences from all over the spectrum of rock and metal while creating a sound that is their identifiably their own. It’s heavy, groove laced, ominously melodic and thematically and lyrically poignant and if that’s not enough they have recruited the help of Smashing Pumpkins legend Billy Corgan to lend his iconic vocal stylings. If Code Orange aren’t on your radar now is the time to get on board as “The Code” is looking to be one hell of a ride.
The accompanying music video is described as “Inspired by an era where film was at its peak quality, but beginning to give way to the digital era, “Take Shape” picks up where “Grooming My Replacement” left off. The protagonist, played by Morgan, escapes his captives, arriving in a technicolour, Truman Show-esque stage play of reality. Incredible cinematography brings the video through a number of sets and stages arriving at a Vanilla Sky-inspired roof scene.” The video was co-directed by Max Moore (Vein.FM, Knocked Loose, Coheed and Cambria, etc.) and Jami Morgan, marking Morgan’s directorial debut.
Speaking on the creation of the video Morgan says: “I have been working on the concept for this video, and others to come, for about a year and a half. I am so thankful to have been able to sit under the learning tree of Max Moore and our DP Eric Robbins. They allowed me to sit in on every minute of this process from hiring to scouting, all the way to final colouring. Being that deep was a revelation and I have found a new love along the way. I couldn’t be prouder of the result.”
Watch the video for “The Above” here:
Speaking on the forthcoming album Morgan elaborates, “We wanted the album to be able to wash over you with melody, aggression, and joy, but it was of equal importance that the closer you look, the more you are rewarded. It was to feel rooted in the “analogue” world, but with threads of digital reality binding things together. We wanted the sound and even the recording process itself to reflect that edict, so we enlisted Steve Albini at Electrical Audio to get the most real and raw version of the band possible, even recording us all at once in a room together for the first time in our career.”
The album is available for pre-order now on digital, CD, and several vinyl variants, including exclusives via the band’s webstore and the Blue Grape Music store here.
