THE AMITY AFFLICTION RELEASE NEW ALBUM
Photo: Tom Brown
Australian heavyweights THE AMITY AFFLICTION have officially unleashed their highly anticipated new album, HOUSE OF CARDS via Pure Noise Records. Accompanying the full-length release is the premiere of the single and music video for ‘Kickboxer’.
It is impossible to view the music of THE AMITY AFFLICTION as anything other than visceral, emotionally charged, and relentless in both its power and delivery. Throughout a storied career, they have delivered eight studio albums that serve as foundational touchstones for Australian metal; as a collective, they have solidified their reputation as one of the nation’s most resilient and influential fixtures in heavy music.
In 2026, the group embraces a newfound sense of change and revitalization with the arrival of their ninth studio effort, the cinematic HOUSE OF CARDS. This record marks the debut of new member and clean vocalist JONNY REEVES, finding the four-piece venturing into fresh creative landscapes while taking firm command of their artistic trajectory. The result is a collection of songs that features the band’s most intimate lyrical work to date, supported by some of the heaviest and most seamless instrumentation in their entire discography.
Listeners have already experienced the raw intensity of HOUSE OF CARDS through a series of formidable singles, including the title track, ‘BLEED’, and ‘HEAVEN SENT’. While these songs stand as powerful individual statements, they integrate perfectly into the album's expansive sonic tapestry.
For JOEL BIRCH, this record is deeply personal, a project he describes as being “almost entirely written about my mother” and the formative experiences of his youth. The tracks weave together various memories and life stages, delivered with a potent mix of vulnerability and fire.
“...If it isn’t about my mother specifically, it is about things that I have experienced that are directly tied to my experience growing up and where that has landed me now. ‘Break These Chains’ is directly tied to that and the confusion I felt when dealing with my mother dying and all the crazy shit she had at her house, ‘Speaking In Tongues’ is about the hypocrisy of my mother sending me off to church constantly throughout my life and my very negative experiences within said church, ‘Afterlife’ is me musing on my lack of belief that there is an afterlife, ‘Reap What You Sow’ follows on from there in its own way and ‘Eternal War’ is the closer that explains how I find myself feeling a lot of the time. There is a line in there “the fool is blind the hand is dealt” which I wrote about my consistent hope that one day my mother would change, written in the context of a gambling addict chasing the perfect hand.” - JOEL BIRCH
The inclusion of Reeves brings a fresh chemistry to the sound THE AMITY AFFLICTION has spent years refining. His contributions provide a seamless contrast to Birch’s aggressive vocals, creating a dynamic energy that shines on highlights like ‘BREAK THESE CHAINS’, ‘SWAN DIVE’, and ‘REAP WHAT YOU SOW’.
Comprised of Birch, Reeves, and the formidable DAN BROWN and JOE LONGOBARDI, the band manifests sheer sonic force on HOUSE OF CARDS, serving as a testament to their enduring dedication to their craft. The album navigates heavy themes of addiction, rage, grief, and loss, ultimately striving for a sense of catharsis and emotional release.
The lead single ‘KICKBOXER’ perfectly encapsulates the album’s vast sonic ambition. Birch recalls the track's unique origin:
“The way this song came about is very funny: Dan was watching Kickboxer on the bus and there is a line in the movie where Van Damme says “It’s good stuff, what is this?” and the answer is “translated, kiss of death.” Dan sent me a text later that night… “Hey can you write a song with Kiss of Death in it?” When he asks things like this it’s always because he has had a song come to him and knows exactly how he wants it to sound before it’s written. I wrote that song in my bunk on tour, as I do many others, and it’s just a song expressing my distaste for the way I grew up having people pray for me, or lay hands on me to pray, and how I’m not waiting on some divine being to come and save me from any situation I am in.”
2026 has already shaped up to be a remarkably productive and successful period for THE AMITY AFFLICTION. The meticulous preparation of this latest album has occurred alongside a sprawling tour of regional Australia, all while the band develops a massive international touring itinerary. This upcoming schedule is set to see the group make their highly anticipated return to stages throughout North America, Europe, and the UK.
HOUSE OF CARDS EU/UK 2026
THE AMITY AFFLICTION
SILENT PLANET
VARIALS
ORTHODOX
18 September 2026 · Schlachthof · Wiesbaden · Germany
19 September 2026 · Palladium · Cologne · Germany
20 September 2026 · Große Freiheit 36 · Hamburg · Germany
22 September 2026 · Fållan · Stockholm · Sweden
24 September 2026 · Ääniwalli · Helsinki · Finland
26 September 2026 · Rockefeller · Oslo · Norway
27 September 2026 · Vega · Copenhagen · Denmark
28 September 2026 · Huxleys · Berlin · Germany
29 September 2026 · Progresja · Warsaw · Poland
1 October 2026 · Roxy · Prague · Czech Republic
2 October 2026 · Gasometer · Vienna · Austria
3 October 2026 · Tonhalle · Munich · Germany
5 October 2026 · Komplex 457 · Zürich · Switzerland
6 October 2026 · Élysée Montmartre · Paris · France
7 October 2026 · Zappa · Antwerp · Belgium
8 October 2026 · 013 · Tilburg · Netherlands
10 October 2026 · O2 Ritz · Manchester · United Kingdom
11 October 2026 · O2 Forum Kentish Town · London · United Kingdom
12 October 2026 · Rock City · Nottingham · United Kingdom
13 October 2026 · O2 Academy · Bristol · United Kingdom
