The Avett Brothers have teamed up with genre-bending icon Mike Patton for one of 2025’s most unexpected collaborations, delivering a new single “Heaven’s Breath” ahead of their joint album AVTT/PTTN, due 14 November through Thirty Tigers, Ramseur Records and Ipecac Recordings.
“Heaven’s Breath” arrives as a raw, fuzzed-out rock’n’roll statement, charged with the energy of Patton’s wild vocal range and The Avett Brothers’ southern storytelling spirit. It’s the final single to preview the full album, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most compelling cross-genre releases of the year.
The track’s creation began with Scott Avett’s initial riff, which he describes as “cranking the saw a little bit,” setting the tone for a record that embraces grit, distortion and creative freedom. Seth Avett likens it to Mr. Bungle’s “Retrovertigo”, an apt comparison given Patton’s boundary-pushing work as frontman of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. His dynamic voice – switching between tender croon and unhinged growl, gives “Heaven’s Breath” its feral soul.
“Heaven’s Breath” also captures the strange chemistry of this partnership. For the Avetts, working with Patton was something of a dream fulfilled. “Mike’s part of our DNA, like the fabric of our youth,” says Scott. “Literally, we studied him. He’s a dear friend now, but when we were younger, I was imitating him.” Patton adds with his trademark humour, “My peculiar challenge in this was to become a long distant cousin. A brother that was orphaned. Maybe they kept him in the chicken coop or some shit. They brought him out years and years later.”
Produced by Patton, the Avetts, and Grammy-winning engineer Dana Nielsen (Metallica, Rihanna), AVTT/PTTN was written through a process as unconventional as its sound. Songs were first sketched by Scott Avett, reimagined by Patton, and then re-shaped again with Seth Avett, resulting in a project that constantly blurs lines between Appalachian folk, experimental rock and cinematic art-pop.
The album’s opening track “Dark Night Of My Soul” sets the tone with delicate acoustic guitars and rich three-part harmonies. The momentum builds through the sludgy fuzz of “Heaven’s Breath,” the strange optimism of “Too Awesome,” and the raw stomp of the traditional “The Ox Driver’s Song.” The previously released “Eternal Love” offers a more reflective tone, highlighting the emotional core beneath the distortion.
The record’s name, AVTT/PTTN, merges the shorthand of both acts, symbolising their shared creative spirit. It’s a rare meeting point between North Carolina folk tradition and the avant-garde edges of alternative rock – a “collision of worlds,” as Patton calls it.
Since forming in Concord, North Carolina, in the early 2000s, The Avett Brothers have carved out a unique space between bluegrass, Americana and indie rock. Their 2009 major label debut I And Love And You pushed them into the mainstream, followed by The Carpenter (2012) and Magpie And The Dandelion (2013), which both broke the US Top 5.
Their 2016 album True Sadness earned two Grammy nominations and became the subject of the acclaimed Judd Apatow-directed documentary May It Last: A Portrait Of The Avett Brothers. More recently, their music inspired the Broadway production Swept Away, further cementing their influence on American storytelling and songcraft.
For Patton, AVTT/PTTN adds yet another chapter to a career built on relentless reinvention. From Faith No More’s era-defining 1990 album The Real Thing and Angel Dust, to Mr. Bungle’s absurdist genre experiments, to his orchestral Italian project Mondo Cane and the cinematic chaos of Tomahawk, Patton has never repeated himself.
He’s also composed for film (Crank: High Voltage, A Place Beyond The Pines), voiced characters for I Am Legend and video games, and founded his own label Ipecac Recordings – home to much of his sprawling creative output.
AVTT/PTTN by The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton will be released on 14 November 2025.
AVTT/PTTN Tracklist
Dark Night Of My Soul
To Be Known
Heaven’s Breath
Too Awesome
Disappearing
Eternal Love
The Ox Driver’s Song
The Things I Do
Received
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