BARRY KERCH On SHINEDOWN's Next Album: 'There Are Some Songs That Are In Their Final Stages'

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, SHINEDOWN drummer Barry Kerch was asked about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2022's "Planet Zero" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Nothing is finished. There are some [songs] that are in their final stages that are way past the demo mode. The songs that I recorded last week, which was more than four, less than seven songs, I was putting drums on pretty final things. Maybe some vocal tweaks needed to happen and maybe re-recording a couple of guitar parts and things like that, but the drums are done on those, for sure. Yeah, I think we probably need to write a handful of more songs and then pick from those of what's gonna create a record."

He continued: "You wanna write more and then pick the best ones that sonically go together and make a solid record, 'cause that's SHINEDOWN's thing, is we like to make a record that you can listen to front to back. We don't like just, 'Here's a single. Here's a single.' There's nothing wrong with that — some bands do that — but that's just not our M.O. So we're closer than we thought we'd be at this time."

This past February, SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith told James Steele of the FM 101.9 radio station that he and his bandmates had "been working on new material for a while."

SHINEDOWN's "A Symptom Of Being Human" single, taken from "Planet Zero", recently landed at No. 1 at Active Rock. This marked SHINEDOWN's record-breaking 21st No. 1 song on the Mediabase Active Rock chart and extended the band's record for the most No. 1s in the history of Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with 19 total.

SHINEDOWN has always believed that music is universal and doesn't have to be put in a genre box, as evidenced by "A Symptom Of Being Human" resonating with all listeners with its uplifting and important message about how we are all a work in progress. The band's exploration of the resilience of the human spirit, experiences with mental health, and the importance of empathy shine through in the track reminding us that we are more similar than we are different. Collectively, "A Symptom Of Being Human", the fourth No. 1 single from the band's acclaimed seventh studio album, has amassed over 40 million streams across all versions of the song including a pop remix, acoustic version, and piano version.

The "Planet Zero" album also featured the pop-rock anthem and No. 1 rock hit "Daylight", which People called one of "the most powerful of pop-rock songs created to remind us that we are truly all in this together." The band's video for "Daylight", set to the Amazon Original version of the song, is a love letter to their fans and shows the impact that the song's message — that you are never alone — had during SHINEDOWN's sold-out "Planet Zero" world tour.

SHINEDOWN also released a music video for rock single "Dead Don't Die", a rousing declaration of survival and an anthem about the resilience of the human spirit after trying times.

"Planet Zero" boldly confronts the societal forces that perpetuate divisiveness while offering a restorative path forward through empathy and open conversation — ultimately serving as a reminder that it is our human connections that matter the most. The album debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and the official U.K. albums chart, and at No. 1 on six other Billboard charts, including Top Album Sales, Rock, Hard Rock, and Alternative Albums.

SHINEDOWN, who recently appeared at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards where they were nominated for multiple awards including "Rock Artist Of The Year" and presented/introduced their good friend Jelly Roll on the live broadcast, will play select tour dates this spring and summer. The mix of headlining shows and festival appearances includes Boston's KISS Concert alongside Doja Cat and Jason Derulo, headlining sets at Inkcarceration festival and Tailgates N' Tallboys, and more.

Photo credit: Sanjay Parikh