Big Thief share “Vampire Empire,” a song “about getting out of toxic internal patterns”
The band debuted the song on The Late Show earlier this year.
"Vampire Empire" has become something akin to a cult song for Big Thief, a band with a lot of big songs and fan favorites. The track has been a staple of their live sets in the past few years with live clips from various shows making the rounds on TikTok and YouTube. Back in March the band chose to perform the then-unreleased song during a visit to The Late Show.
Today Big Thief have shared the studio version of "Vampire Empire." Recorded with producer Dom Monks at Guissona, Spain’s Teatre de cal Eril Studio, it will appear alongside another new song, "Born For Loving You," on a 7" due out via 4AD on October 20. It's the band's first new music since the release of 2022 album Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You.
Speaking about the song, Big Thief's Adrienne Lenker says: "For me, it’s about getting out of toxic internal patterns - leaving the empire of energy drains that obscure pure essence, learning about what healthy boundaries are, and finding the power to implement them for the possibility of giving and receiving (both inwardly and outwardly) unbroken and infinite Love.”
Big Thief are currently in the middle of a North American tour and will play in Kingston, New York tonight (July 19). See below for their full upcoming schedule.
Big Thief live dates
July 19 - Kingston, NY - Ulster Performing Arts Center
July 22 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival
July 23 - Nelsonville, OH - Nelsonville Music Festival
July 26 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room
July 27 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
July 29 - Omaha, NE - Maha Music Festival
July 31 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks
August 3 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre
August 4 - Portland, OR - McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater
August 5 - Seattle, WA - Marymoor Amphitheater
August 8 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre Berkeley
August 9 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Forever Cemetery