Multinational blues-rock institution ELLIS MANO BAND has announced their new album 'MORPH' for February 21, 2025 via SPV Recordings.
With 'MORPH', the ELLIS MANO BAND presents a multi-faceted, coherent opus.
“It is more than just an album for us - it's our next big step, our musical diploma,“ says the band. "We are excited to share these new sonic worlds with our fans, both on record and live!”
With songs like the epic "Countdown To Nothing" and the powerful anthem "For All I Care", the band invites their listeners to join in on an intense journey through the evolution of our sound. 'MORPH' represents change and growth – a transformation reflected in every track. Energized riffs meet unexpected, quiet moments, creating a listening experience full of tension and depth. The artwork by Canadian album design legend Hugh Syme (Rush, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi…) perfectly captures this essence and symbolizes the spirit of 'MORPH'.
With several top 2 rankings in the Swiss album charts and excellent reactions from critics, the ELLIS MANO BAND continues on its path and will keep on delivering music at its best - timeless and 100% handmade!
In conjunction with this announcement, today, the band released their new single "Stray" alongside a brand new lyric video available below.
Watch the Lyric Video For "Stray"
"'Stray' is a song that speaks deeply from the heart – inspired by all the dogs that remain unwaveringly loyal despite disappointment and pain," says the band.
"Chris Ellis, our singer, who has adopted street dogs himself, wanted to tell the story of an animal that continually seeks love but is left alone time and again. ‘Stray’ shows what true, unconditional loyalty means and reminds us that everyone deserves a home. It’s a musical call to give these strays a second chance."
The video for the single was created in cooperation with VETO, the association of European animal welfare organizations. The non-profit limited company, which is committed to the welfare of shelter and street animals, provided the ELLIS MANO BAND with the film material used for the music clip.
The first public airing of ELLIS MANO BAND’s fourth album 'MORPH' was performed during their support slot to rock legends Deep Purple, on their German tour in July 2024. The record features eleven tracks, including "For All I Care", which was one of the highlights in their set supporting the British rock legends. Powerful and characterised by tempo changes, it is a contemporary, modernised homage to the essence of classic rock from the late 1960s to the end of the 1970s. A quiet acoustic interlude is thrown in for good measure. A definite nod to the unforgotten Old School. Compositional sophistication, variety and incredible playing are the hallmarks of the Anglo-American sound of the ELLIS MANO BAND. So it was only logical to engage a global great for the cover art. The cartridge with the broken tip and flowers growing in ist case was realised by Canadian album design legend Hugh Syme (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Rush and many more). The music is just as impressive. It shows how the ELLIS MANO BAND continues its development in line with the album title.
Legendary artwork designer Hugh Syme comments on ELLIS MANO BAND's 'MORPH':
"I have always been motivated and inspired to bring a compelling, and (usually) improbable visual solution to those album covers I create for bands whose music, composition, performance and production I truly respect. Such is the case with the ELLIS MANO BAND. Thank you to Thomas Hammerl for bringing us together! All the best with the launch of the new 'MORPH' album project."
