Kasabian have already begun their long-awaited return, smashing gig after gig across the UK. The Leicester outfit are, of course, without frontman Tom Meighan for the first time, following his departure from the band.
Tom was asked to leave the fold in July 2020, following his charge of assaulting his partner. This raised a lot of questions and dilemmas for the Kasabian die-hards, with Serge Pizzorno now leading the line, many fans were clamouring for the return of the original frontman. It can be difficult to separate the art from the artist, but Meighan is suffering little more than the consequences of his own actions. Cry me a river.
Kasabian, now fronted by guitarist and songwriter Serge Pizzorno, have released their first new material as a four-piece. The track is titled ‘ALYGATYR’, and straight away any worries or anxieties on Kasabian’s new direction dissipate: ‘ALYGATYR’ is a full-on, bombastic, indie rock banger – it could be straight from the Kasabian back catalogue. Huge soaring, arena-filling choruses mix with the low-fi verses: there is definitely elements of Serge’s side project The SLP that creep into ‘ALYGATYR’, the electronic vibes are apparent throughout, as well as sections of the track that see Serge delivering vocals over a dancefloor style beat.
The cut is certainly an eclectic one, drawing from all aspects of Kasabian – and Pizzorno’s – broad range of influences, but they make it work in true Kasabian style. We all knew that Serge was the genius behind Kasabian’s success, but the departure of Meighan and the dancefloor-ready groove of ‘ALYGATYR’ proves that Serge can lead the band from the front, just as well as any frontman out there.
Kasabian are currently on tour across the UK, culminating with two headline shows in London. For tickets and dates head over here.
