Greta Van Fleet Shares ‘Age of Machine,’ from Sophomore Album ‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’ Coming in April 2021

On April 16, 2021, explosive young rockers Greta Van Fleet will resume their responsibilities of carrying the torch for rock and roll with The Battle at Garden’s Gate, a dramatically-titled new album that serves as the follow-up to their 2018 debut album, Anthem of the Peaceful Army. 

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‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’ will arrive April 16. New song “Age of Machine” out today: https://t.co/l0zAstP4tf pic.twitter.com/pCF1htrKv5

— Greta Van Fleet (@GretaVanFleet) December 4, 2020

In addition to announcing the album on Friday, Greta Van Fleet shared a new song, a nearly seven-minute epic titled “Age of Machine,” which is a rather powerful musical statement from the group, led as always by the howling lead vocals of singer Josh Kiszka:

“Age of Machine” comes on the heels of “My Way, Soon,” a rollicking new song shared by Greta Van Fleet back in October:

The past few years have been momentous for the young band. World tours in front of huge audiences, endless buzz and acclaim were heaped their way. Their rapid success allowed the group to travel the globe (until 2020, of course), and those experiences helped shape the creative process that went into this new album. Per a news release:

The music reflects their spiritual and intellectual growth, increased awareness of the inequalities plaguing the modern world, and deep empathy for what other people are going through. 
 
“We realized that while growing up, we had been shielded by many things, and we were unaware of a lot of things,” says drummer Danny Wagner.  “And then we were thrown out into this huge world, and it was a bit of a culture shock at first.  But as we started to travel a lot, meet new and different people and experience different cultures, our definition of ‘normal’ changed.”
 
“I suppose that everything has changed except what got us here in the first place,” adds bassist Sam Kiszka.  “Everything – our perception of the world, perception of life itself, what it means to be an artist, what it means to be part of a beautiful, gorgeous society.  We’ve gained a larger understanding of why we’re all here.”

The Battle at Garden’s Gate was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Greg Kurstin (known for his recent work with the Foo Fighters, among many other projects).

Said vocalist Josh Kiszka in a statement: “It’s very dynamic, lyrically speaking.  And that’s the human experience.  It’s much more than pain or fear; it’s also beauty.  People need people, and love is important.”  Lyrically, The Battle at Garden’s Gate uses about the influence of technology on modern life; the role conflict plays in the global sphere; the deceptive fulfillment of tangible riches; and philosophical questions about life, love and power.
 
“There was a lot of self-evolution happening during the writing of this album that was prompted by experiences I had, experiences we all had, so a lot of contemplation occurred,” Josh says, while Jake adds, “It’s reflecting a lot of the world that we’ve seen, and I think that it’s reflecting a lot of personal truth.  What Josh does very well with the lyrics is telling ancient tales with a contemporary application.”

"It’s an analogy. Each song is a theme. A magnification of different cultures and civilizations inside of this world searching for some kind of salvation or enlightenment.” Learn more about our forthcoming album in @rollingstone: https://t.co/dYI6ti5qyZ pic.twitter.com/de84GKEbOw

— Greta Van Fleet (@GretaVanFleet) December 4, 2020

So stay tuned — expect big things once again from Greta Van Fleet in early 2021.