The Mountain Goats Announce New Album 'Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan'
Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Jillian Clark
The Mountain Goats have laid out plans for their 23rd studio album.
The follow-up to 2023's 'Jenny From Thebes' is titled 'Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan' and will arrive on November 7 via their own label Cadmean Dawn Records.
Produced by the California band's multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas, and described as a "full-on musical", the record features contributions from The Replacements' Tommy Stinson, harpist Mikaela Davis, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, best known for creating and starring in the Broadway musical Hamilton.
The concept focuses on a small crew stranded on a desert island, where three survivors, the narrator, Captain Peter Balkan, and Adam, face running out of supplies while experiencing eerie, apocalyptic visions. Frontman John Darnielle explained:
"There were sixteen men on a fishing boat but only three survived the storm, and one of those went missing, and is presumed dead. That leaves me and Peter Balkan, whose health is failing as his apocalyptic visions dissipate in the spray at the shore."
He continued: "I loved musicals when I was a kid, but I hadn’t really indulged in them that much until the last seven years or so. And then we did 'Jenny From Thebes', which I called a ‘fake musical’ a lot... But this one actually is going for it."
Alongside the announcement, the trio, completed by Jon Wurster, have shared the album's lead single, Armies Of The Lord, a folk-rock offering that features a rich string arrangement and highlights their signature storytelling lyricism.
"We recorded this in January at Dreamland Studios," Darnielle said. "Matt Douglas produced it; Ben Loughran who you know from tour did the synth with Matt as co-conspirator; that’s Mikaela Davis on the harp; the voice on the harmonies in the bridge that sounds like Lin-Manuel Miranda is Lin-Manuel Miranda, who followed Peter Balkan’s story from its early gleanings through its realization."
The Mountain Goats will embark on a US tour beginning next week, with dates continuing through mid-December. Tickets are on sale now.
'Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan' tracklist:
1. Overture
2. Fishing Boat
3. Cold at Night
4. Dawn of Revelation
5. Your Bandage
6. Peru
7. Through This Fire
8. Rocks in My Pockets
9. Armies of the Lord
10. Your Glow
11. The Lady from Shanghai 2
12. Broken To Begin With
The Mountain Goats Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Wed September 17 2025 - ATLANTA Georgia - Variety Playhouse (USA)
Thu September 18 2025 - PONTE VEDRA BEACH Florida - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall (USA)
Fri September 19 2025 - ISLE OF PALMS - Windjammer (USA)
Mon September 22 2025 - LOUISVILLE Kentucky - Mercury Ballroom (USA)
Fri September 26 2025 - CLEVELAND Ohio - Agora Theatre (USA)
Sat September 27 2025 - CHICAGO Illinois - Salt Shed Indoors (Shed) (USA)
Sun September 28 2025 - PEORIA Illinois - TempleLive Peoria (USA)
Mon September 29 2025 - DETROIT Michigan - Majestic Theatre (USA)
Wed October 01 2025 - HUNTINGTON West Virginia - Loud - WV (USA)
Fri October 03 2025 - ARDMORE Pennsylvania - Ardmore Music Hall (USA)
Sat October 04 2025 - JERSEY CITY New Jersey - White Eagle Hall (USA)
Sat November 29 2025 - SALT LAKE CITY Utah - Metro Music Hall (USA)
Sun November 30 2025 - BOZEMAN Montana - ELM (USA)
Mon December 01 2025 - MISSOULA Montana - Wilma (USA)
Wed December 03 2025 - SEATTLE Washington - Neptune Theatre (USA)
Thu December 04 2025 - SEATTLE Washington - Neptune Theatre (USA)
Fri December 05 2025 - SPOKANE Washington - Knitting Factory - Spokane (USA)
Sat December 06 2025 - BOISE Idaho - Treefort Music Hall (USA)
Mon December 08 2025 - PORTLAND Oregon - Revolution Hall - Portland (USA)
Tue December 09 2025 - PORTLAND Oregon - Revolution Hall - Portland (USA)
Wed December 10 2025 - SAN FRANCISCO California - Fillmore (USA)
Fri December 12 2025 - LOS ANGELES California - Teragram Ballroom (USA)
Sat December 13 2025 - LOS ANGELES California - Teragram Ballroom (USA)
Sun December 14 2025 - LOS ANGELES California - Teragram Ballroom (USA)
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