Spirit Mother unveil lyric video for new single 'Stranger, You Are' • GRIMM Gent

Following the recent release of their first single, “Narrows”, US heavy rock outfit SPIRIT MOTHER return with “Stranger, You Are”, the second offering from their forthcoming third studio album, Thistle, set for release on September 4, 2026 via Sound Of Liberation Records.

In support of Thistle, SPIRIT MOTHER have announced European tour dates for September and October. Find all upcoming shows listed below! Album pre-orders are now available at: https://shop.soundofliberation.com/products/spirit-mother-thistle-lp-pre-order

Written, recorded and produced by the band themselves in the secluded attic of Armand and SJ Lance‘s century-old cabin in the high desert of Burns, Oregon, Thistle reflects the raw beauty and quiet isolation of its surroundings. Showcasing the album’s dynamic sonic range, “Stranger, You Are” moves effortlessly between towering walls of sound and striking moments of vulnerability, offering another compelling glimpse into the deeply introspective world of Thistle.

The band comments:

“Stranger, You Are is a reckoning: within and without. An exploration of self and surroundings. What are the mechanisms that help you navigate your existence? Can you trust them? Sonically Stranger, You Are encompasses the spectrum of sounds found in Thistle: from a wall of sound to a single raw instrument or voice. In keeping with this theme of self exploration, it is paired with its intro “Ephemeral” which is an improvisation on the song’s central themes. Recorded live in the room together on 1 microphone, while violins each had DI signal feeding into amps and pedals. The result is an intimate, cavernous deconstruction of our 2nd single, Stranger, You Are.”

“Stranger, You Are” is out now on all digital platforms, stream the song here: https://orcd.co/ewgz5dr

Originally formed in Long Beach, California and now based in the rural Pacific Northwest, SPIRIT MOTHER have carved out a distinctive place within the modern heavy rock landscape. Their sound blends folk-informed songwriting, atmospheric strings, haunting vocal harmonies and crushing rock dynamics into a style that is both expansive and deeply emotional.

Following the release of their sophomore album Trails, the band spent 2024 and 2025 relentlessly touring throughout the United States and Europe, including appearances at Desertfest New York, Levitation Festival, Rock Im Wald, Blue Moon Festival, Berg Herzberg, Festival Kult and Hoflärm. Along the way, they have shared stages with acclaimed acts such as All Them Witches, Graveyard, King Buffalo, Weedeater, Acid King, Melvins, Blackwater Holylight and LA Witch.

Returning home after extensive touring, the band dedicated themselves to writing and recording Thistle entirely on their own terms. The result is an album that captures both the isolation and beauty of their surroundings while pushing SPIRIT MOTHER‘s unique blend of heavy rock, Americana and psychedelic influences further than ever before.

Thistle Track Listing:

1. Dog Machine
2. Violent Son
3. Coat Of Arms
4. Narrows
5. Prelude
6. Locomotive Breath
7. Good Faith
8. Crux
9. Ephemeral
10. Stranger, You Are
11. Odetta
12. Thistle
13. Transient

SPIRIT MOTHER European Tour 2026:

Sep 25 Dortmund, DE – Musiktheater Piano
Sep 26 Leeuwarden, NL – Into The Void Festival
Sep 30 Bielefeld, DE – Forum Bielefeld
Oct 01 Karlsruhe, DE – PsyKA Festival
Oct 02 Pratteln, CH – Up In Smoke Festival
Oct 03 Konstanz, DE – Kulturladen
Oct 07 Ljubljana, SI – Channel Zero
Oct 08 Passau, DE – Zauberberg
Oct 09 Nürnberg, DE – MUZ – Musikzentrale Nürnberg e.V.
Oct 10 München, DE – Keep It Low Festival
Oct 11 Erfurt, DE – Bandhaus Erfurt
Oct 13 Berlin, DE – Neue Zukunft
Oct 15 Aalborg, DK – 1000 Fryd
Oct 16 Kiel, DE – Schaubude