Imperial Wax Drop “No Control” Single & Video From Upcoming “Tranquilliser” Album

Formed in 2018 by Pete Greenway, Keiron Melling and Dave Spurr, formerly known as the last and longest serving line up of The Fall, Imperial Wax finally follow the release of their 2019 debut album, Gastwerk Saboteurs, with their sophomore album, Tranquilliser, which is set to be released on February 9th via Guesswork Records. Now very much a band in their own right, Imperial Wax draw on the lessons they learnt from the late Mark E Smith and have evolved into a visceral, expressive fusion of garage rock and post-punk.

Following the release of the Less I Need video, the first single to be released from Tranquilliser at the start of 2024, where Imperial Wax celebrated their return with a four minute post punk garage barrage, constantly changing keys and charging up into a furious krautrock barnstormer, the band return this week with a second video and single for the track No Control. Starting with a stuttering, jagged guitar riff, drummer Keiron Melling commences the rhythm with a simple military like snare march, before the whole band explode into the song’s stomping, angular attack, veering dangerously out of control.

“No Control is a difficult one to explain without getting too personal, the whole song is a sort of visceral catharsis about taking people for granted. It’s basically a big rant at myself for not realising the repercussions of my actions until it’s too late to grovel for an apology. I think I’ve said before, I love going for a beer, especially after work. I spend all week on my own and love having a natter with folk. It’s difficult to get the balance right when you’re in dickhead mode, 1 beer turns into 5 and before long I’ve sacked everything off in a fit of selfishness and will deal with the aftermath later. I still do this now but hopefully I’m not as bad as I used to be, I’m guessing at the time of writing ‘No Control’ I was trying to clamber out of a pit I’d excavated for myself. I probably wrote it at work on a Monday while feeling sorry for myself. I tried to illustrate the never-ending cycle of my behaviour by repeating each line, in one ear out the other sort of thing. I don’t think I’ve got a drinking problem, it’s a selfishness problem.” (guitarist and vocalist Sam Curran)

Following the release of the album, Imperial Wax will be hitting stages across the UK and appearing at festivals across the Spring & Summer, including Manchester’s Fair Play Festival and the Right To Roam Music & Arts Festival in Bolton.