These Future Kings Unearth Lost Album Via Dolorosa After 35 Years

Melbourne cult band These Future Kings, whose frontman Perry A. White passed away in 2025, will finally release their long-lost 1990 album Via Dolorosa

by Paul Cashmere

Melbourne’s inner-city music scene of the 1980s is about to get a significant historical footnote with the release of Via Dolorosa, the unreleased final album from cult band These Future Kings. Originally recorded in 1990, the album was shelved after their label folded, leaving the band fractured and the recordings unheard for over three decades.

The story of These Future Kings begins in the outer South-Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, where friends Perry A. White and Charles Caldas met while studying at Monash University. Both from migrant families, their shared background infused the band’s music with a uniquely heartfelt sensibility.

The original lineup also included Perry’s sister Claudia White on bass, Mark Freeman on drums, and Steven Johansen on saxophone and keyboards. Over the next six years, These Future Kings became a staple of Melbourne’s live circuit, performing at venues such as the Seaview Ballroom in St Kilda and Fitzroy’s The Punters Club, where their performance was featured on the venue’s Hair of the Dog live album.

The band signed with Rampant Records, a label home to acts like Not Drowning Waving, The Wreckery, Blue Ruin, Sea Stories, and Stephen Cummings. Under Rampant, they released the After This EP, the single Bury My Bones-which briefly featured violinist Warren Ellis-and their debut album Carnival. Carnival was recorded in a deserted flour mill in Burnley and produced by Tim Cole of Not Drowning Waving, reflecting a raw yet compelling sound that marked the beginning of their musical identity.

By the late 1980s, These Future Kings had expanded their lineup with violist and backing vocalist Jennifer McCutchan. Their sound evolved into richly textured, acoustic-driven pop that resonated with audiences both locally and interstate. The band regularly supported major acts including The Go-Betweens and Ed Kuepper, cementing their reputation as one of Melbourne’s most promising cult bands of the era.

In 1990, with former Sea Stories drummer Nick Wilson joining the group, These Future Kings recorded what would become their most ambitious project, Via Dolorosa. Produced by Ted Lethborg of label mates The Odolites, the album featured contributions from musicians associated with Weddings Parties Anything, The Killjoys, and The Odolites. The songs showcased a marked maturity in songwriting, revealing a depth and complexity that distinguished it from earlier releases. Unfortunately, Rampant Records folded before the album could be released, leaving the band devastated and ultimately leading to their breakup.

The story of Via Dolorosa might have ended there if not for Perry A. White’s passing in 2025. His sister Claudia spearheaded the search for the original master tapes, which had journeyed from Melbourne to the UK and Portugal with co-founder Charles Caldas, who later became CEO of Shock Records and global rights agency Merlin. The tapes were eventually recovered and fully remastered by Mikey Young, allowing the album to finally see the light of day.

Via Dolorosa will be officially released on vinyl and digital formats through Kylpyvesi Records on March 30, 2026, exactly 35 years after it was recorded. The album can be pre-ordered now via the These Future Kings Bandcamp page, where fans can immediately download tracks Crossing Open Ground and Song of My Leaving. A wider digital release will follow on April 10, 2026, through all global digital platforms via Redeye Worldwide. Physical copies will also be available in Australian record stores via Efficient Space.

This release not only honours Perry A. White’s legacy but also preserves a critical piece of Melbourne’s alternative music history. As the album finally reaches listeners, it stands as a testament to a band that, despite its brief lifespan, left an indelible mark on the city’s music culture.