New Album: STYX 18th Studio Album, Circling From Above

PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT – Photo, Jason Powell

The highly anticipated 18th studio album by legendary multi-Platinum rockers STYX, CIRCLING FROM ABOVE, is now available via the band’s label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe on all streaming and digital outlets HERE. CD and vinyl copies have already been available on the band’s official website, and CDs have been available at every stop of this summer’s “Brotherhood of Rock” tour with The Kevin Cronin Band and special guest Don Felder (a former lead guitarist of the Eagles) since its launch May 28 in Greenville, SC.

Spanning 13 tracks, CIRCLING FROM ABOVE navigates the complexities of the human experience through the intersecting lenses of technology and nature. It delivers a 41-minute, end-to-end listening experience that is both thought-provoking and exhilarating, and features contributions from all seven members of the band, including founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young (affectionately known as “The Godfather of Styx”), guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, longtime drummer Todd Sucherman, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, guitarist/vocalist Will Evankovich and bassist Terry Gowan.

CIRCLING FROM ABOVE marks the third album in a row for new STYX music to be labeled as a “masterpiece” (by Antimusic.com), following up on their 2021 CRASH OF THE CROWN and 2017’s THE MISSION.

The kinetic energy of lead single “Build and Destroy” is the first introduction of new music to their fans who’ve been circling around the band for over 50 years. The thrilling AI conceptual video—directed by Jay Ziebarth—can be seen on the band’s YouTube page, where it has racked up over 111k views.

“That little melody, I kept singing ‘Build and Destroy,’” explains singer/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, who takes the lead vocal. “Even though we don’t sing over that part, I kept thinking that would be a good title. It’s thematic. The melody feels like a little ‘Star Trek’ or ‘Twilight Zone’ thing — just a small tag that reinforces the title.”

Shaw and Evankovich jumped in to flesh out the verses and finalize the lyrics, and the song came together in just a day and a half. “We knew it was strong,” Gowan says. “Even though it was the second-to-last song we finished, it felt like a quick way into the album’s overall theme.”

CIRCLING FROM ABOVE is a dynamic collection that reflects the full emotional and stylistic range of the Styx canon. It’s muscular yet introspective, theatrical in moments and layered in sincerity at others — balancing progressive leanings with deeper, thought-provoking messages.

“When you start writing an album, there’s generally something that piques your imagination, and all of a sudden, you’re a storyteller starting with the seed of a story,” says Shaw. “A good song is like a straight road — it’ll get you to the next place.”

The album was produced by Evankovich, who also helmed the band’s previous two records before becoming an official member in 2022. All 13 songs were penned in various combinations by the band’s songwriting triumvirate of Shaw, Evankovich and Lawrence Gowan. Referencing the trio’s creative spark, Lawrence Gowan says it’s not a simple case of majority rules but rather a true collaborative endeavor.

“I’ve noticed over the last three records, there’s a real effort to make sure everyone’s got a smile on their face at the end of it,” he says. “There’s creative friction, but everybody gets a go around the table and we all get a swing at the tree. And that’s really, really good.”

“It’s a strange three-way democracy for sure,” Evankovich says. “We all know that the institution of Styx is the most important thing.”

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