William Patrick Corgan, owner of the NWA and frontman for Smashing Pumpkins has announced plans for a new album. An album so big that it’s going to be released in three parts.
“Atum” is actually a sequel to 1995’s “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” and “Machina/Machines of God” that dropped in 2000. Of course the Pumpkins have released other albums since then, but “Atum” is set to be an epic concept album. Corgan apparently wanted to do this as early at 2017, but guitarist James Iha had just returned after a decade plus absence, there was the pandemic and of course, the NWA.
According to Corgan, the album follows the same character from the “Mellon Collie” and “Machina” albums. He describes the story as having one foot in reality, one in a made up world and a little bit autobiographical.
Corgan is calling it “A Rock Opera in Three Parts”. “Atum: Act 1” will be available November 15th. Act 2 comes out January 31st, 2023 and the final Act 3 will follow on April 21st. Each “act” will be available individually but there will be a full box set with bonus tracks which can be pre-ordered here.
Check out the first single, “Beguiled” here. You might recognize a few faces as well.
Smashing Pumpkins are set to perform this on Friday night on the “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”. They are also on tour with Jane’s Addiction and will be making stops at the Enterprise Center in St Louis on November 1st and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on November 4th. .
