As Shinedown prepare for their first Australian tour in 16 years, frontman Brent Smith has revealed that the band’s new album Ei8ht was deliberately conceived as a traditional collection of songs, marking a departure from the narrative structures that defined its two predecessors, Attention Attention and Planet Zero.
Speaking to Noise11 ahead of the band’s September tour with Bush, Smith said the decision to make Ei8ht an 18-song album stemmed from a desire to allow each track to stand on its own while still contributing to a cohesive body of work.
For Shinedown, the release is a significant creative pivot. Attention Attention, released in 2018, was built around a defined narrative arc, while 2022’s Planet Zero evolved into what Smith described as an unexpectedly conceptual record. Ei8ht returns to a more traditional album format, although Smith insists the band never felt constrained by the concept album approach.
“We never really felt restricted even when we were doing the concept records,” Smith said. “Attention Attention was always a story album. Planet Zero was not supposed to be a concept record and it actually became the most conceptual piece.”
The distinction with Ei8ht lies in its structure. Rather than following a singular storyline, the album presents a collection of songs that explore different themes and experiences while remaining connected by a shared creative identity.
“I wanted us to do a traditional record,” Smith said. “We wanted each song to have its own story, but that it all felt like it belonged on the same body of work.”
That ambition expanded the project well beyond the standard album length. Ei8ht contains 18 songs and runs for just over an hour, a format that Smith acknowledged initially surprised listeners when details of the album emerged.
“I think people were surprised that it was an 18-song album when it was announced,” he said. “People thought maybe it was going to be super arty or a two-hour record. Then they got it and realised it’s 18 songs and only an hour and four minutes long.”
According to Smith, the scope of the project required an extended production schedule. The album took approximately 18 months to complete, with bassist Eric Bass once again handling production, engineering and mixing duties. Bass has overseen the band’s last three studio albums, giving Shinedown a level of creative continuity that few major rock acts maintain internally.
“This record took a lot,” Smith said. “It took a year and a half to make it. There was an immense amount of work done, from the songwriting to the sound.”
The album also reflects the band’s maturity. Smith points to songs such as Searchlight, Outlaw and Young Again as examples of material that could only have emerged from life experience accumulated over the past decade and a half.
Searchlight, in particular, was inspired by conversations with his son during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Smith said those discussions about purpose, identity and finding direction in life became central to the song’s message.
“It’s a very young record,” he said. “But it’s also a nostalgic record because we’re influenced by a lot of different artists, sounds and styles of music.”
The release arrives at a time when long-form rock albums have become increasingly uncommon in the streaming era. Industry trends have often favoured shorter releases and rapid content cycles designed to maximise engagement. Ei8ht moves in the opposite direction, embracing a larger song count while maintaining a concise running time.
For Shinedown, the strategy reflects confidence in a catalogue that now spans more than two decades. The band recently passed milestones that have seen songs including Second Chance, Sound Of Madness, Simple Man and 45 each performed more than 1,000 times live.
The new material will finally be heard in Australia when the band returns in September. Smith confirmed the group is preparing varying setlists for each show, drawing from both the new album and the extensive catalogue Australian audiences have missed during the band’s prolonged absence.
After a 16-year gap between visits, Smith has already promised Australian fans that the wait for the next tour will be considerably shorter.
Shinedown and Bush dates:
Thursday 17 September, Auckland, Spark Arena
Sunday 20 September, Brisbane, Riverstage
Wednesday 23 September, Sydney, Hordern Pavilion
Friday 25 September, Melbourne, John Cain Arena
Sunday 27 September, Adelaide, AEC Theatre
Tuesday 29 September, Perth, HPC
Ticketing details: Tickets available via Destroy All Lines.
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