A New Tomorrow
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''A New Tomorrow'' is the only full-length
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by American
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...
band Zulu, released on March 3, 2023, by Flatspot Records. It has received positive reviews from critics for the band's ability to mix various genres and moods and has appeared on several best-albums lists for 2023.


Reception

Editors at
Bandcamp Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic ...
highlighted this as Album of the Day, with staffer John Morrison writing that the music "pushes the volume and energy to the max" and the songs "celebrate the power, beauty, and resilience of Black people everywhere". Andrew Sacher of ''
BrooklynVegan ''BrooklynVegan'' is an American online music magazine founded in 2004 by David Levine. The company is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, and originally focused on vegan food and the music community in and around New York City, before broadeni ...
'' included this among the notable releases of the week, writing that while the songs "are informed by pain" the album is "so much deeper and more vast and more celebratory than that". Olly Thomas of ''
Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British music webzine and quarterly magazine that primarily covers rock, punk and heavy metal music. Since 2017, the magazine has been published by Wasted Talent Ltd (the same company that owns electronic music publication ...
'' rated this release a 4 out of 5, characterizing it as "a glorious celebration of black musical history and a powerful charge into its future". At ''
The Line of Best Fit ''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music. It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...
'', Ims Taylor scored ''A New Tomorrow'' an 8 out of 10, calling the band "brilliant, vicious, breakneck hardcore" and this album "dark, forceful, and ready to leave you with ringing ears and shaking bones", summing up "you're left with the impression there's nothing ZULU can't do". Stephen Hill of ''
Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...
'' gave this release 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "the classic sound of punk rock, hardcore and powerviolence reimagined and rebred with both the liquid grooves and righteous protest polemic of the golden era of funk and soul" and "a wild ride, as Zulu can be destructively heavy one moment and gloriously euphoric and inventive the next". '' No Ripcord''s Juan Edgardo Rodriguez rated ''A New Tomorrow'' an 8 out of 10, opining "there are many layers tucked within the half-hour-long ''A New Tomorrow'', though it's the most straightforward hardcore tracks that hit the hardest". Writing for ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'', Lindsay Temple rated this release a 7.8 out of 10 and stated that"the dynamic force of powerviolence isn't the loudest part of ''A New Tomorrow'': It's the way the album juxtaposes the sludge and the shrieks with songs performed in styles popularized by Black people" and that the band "make clear that working within genre lines is far less meaningful than a commitment to the history of Black music, Black love, and Black might". Several best-of lists published around the mid-year of 2023 included ''A New Tomorrow''. ''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...
'' included it among the top 25 on June 23, calling the blend of genres on display "a staggering effect". In a list of the 40 best albums of the year from ''
BrooklynVegan ''BrooklynVegan'' is an American online music magazine founded in 2004 by David Levine. The company is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, and originally focused on vegan food and the music community in and around New York City, before broadeni ...
'' on July 6, the blurb accompanying this release also pointed out the diversity of the lyrics and the "multi-genre" sound. The staff of
Okayplayer Okayplayer is an online hip-hop and alternative music website and community, described by ''Rolling Stone'' as a "tastemaker" and "an antidote to dull promotional Web sites used by most artists". The community was founded by The Roots' drummer ...
published individual picks for the year on July 12 and senior culture and news editor Elijah Watson Sr. chose this album as his top pick of the year. ''
Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
''s staff tallied up the 25 best of 2023 on June 14 and included this release, calling it "a monstrously heavy metallic hardcore album that simultaneously subverts so many of that genre's predictable tropes". In a ranked listing of the best albums of 2023 from June 6, editors of ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
'' placed this at 20; critic Tom Breihan stated that "when operating at peak intensity, Zulu sound like worlds exploding".
Bandcamp Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic ...
included this among the best albums of 2023. This was rated the fourth best hardcore album of 2023 by ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
''. Editors at ''
Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'' ranked this the sixth best hardcore album of 2023. Editors at ''
Loudwire ''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive i ...
'' included this among the 25 best rock and metal albums of 2023. Editors at ''
BrooklynVegan ''BrooklynVegan'' is an American online music magazine founded in 2004 by David Levine. The company is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, and originally focused on vegan food and the music community in and around New York City, before broadeni ...
'' included this on their list of the 55 best albums of 2023. A piece by Nina Corcoran for ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'' chose this album to spotlight how American
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...
music embraced experimentation and cross-genre elements in 2023.


Track listing

All songs written by Zulu. #"Africa" – 1:02 #"For Sista Humphrey" – 1:21 #"Our Day Is Now" – 1:38 #"Music to Driveby" – 1:27 #"Where I'm From" – 2:21 #"Fakin' tha Funk (You Get Did)" – 1:19 #"Shine Eternally" – 3:02 #"Must I Only Share My Pain" – 0:30 #"Lyfe az a Shorty Shun B So Ruff" – 2:33 #"From tha Gods to Earth" – 1:25 #"Créme de Cassis by Alesia Miller & Precious Tucker" – 1:37 #"We're More Than This" – 1:59 #"52 Fatal Strikes" – 1:43 #"Divine Intervention" – 2:35 #"Who Jah Bless No One Curse" – 4:14


Personnel

Zulu *Satchel Brown – bass guitar on "Shine Eternally" and "We're More Than This", guitar on "Shine Eternally" and "We're More Than This" *Christine Cadette – drums, vocals *Anaiah Lei – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussion *Braxton Marcellous – additional guitar, piano on ""From tha Gods to Earth" *Dez Yusuf – vocals on "We're More Than This", additional vocals on "From tha Gods to Earth" and "Who Jah Bless No One Curse" Additional personnel *Aisha Burns – violin
arrangement In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestr ...
on "Africa" *Yessia Davis – additional vocals on "Africa" and "Divine Intervention" *Pierce Jordan – vocals on "Where I'm From" *Alesia Miller – poem on "Créme de Cassis" *Paris Roberts – vocals on "52 Fatal Strikes" *Zach Tuch – recording, mixing, mastering *Precious Tucker – piano arrangement on "Africa" and "Créme de Cassis" *Obioma Ugonna – vocals on "Where I'm From" *Savannah Imani Wade – artwork


See also

*
2023 in American music The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2023 in music in the United States. Notable events January *6 – Iggy Pop released his first studio album in four years, ''Every Loser''. *9 – Pentatonix performed the The S ...
*
List of 2023 albums The following is a list of albums, EPs, and mixtapes released in 2023. These albums are (1) original, i.e. excluding reissues, remasters, and compilations of previously released recordings, and (2) notable, defined as having received signif ...


References


External links

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An L.A. hardcore band champions Black power and transcendence, in a scene not known for eitherRacetraitor members each discuss their 10 favorite albums of 2023Zulu are expanding the look and feel of hardcore
in ''Alternative Press'' {{DEFAULTSORT:New Tomorrow 2023 albums Metalcore albums by American artists Zulu (band) albums