Starbenders unleash The Beast Goes On
Atlanta shape-shifters Starbenders are back with their boldest and most cinematic statement yet. The Beast Goes On is out now via Sumerian Records, fusing shimmering synth-rock, shadowy alt-pop and raw, widescreen emotion into a record that feels both intimate and explosive.
To mark the release, the band have shared a striking new music video for the title track—an evocative visual that mirrors the album’s tension between beauty and darkness.
A record of resilience and reinvention
The Beast Goes On sees frontwoman Kimi Shelter continue her instinctive approach to songwriting, often beginning with skeletal ideas that evolve organically with the band. The result is a collection built on creative freedom—songs that swell, shimmer and strike with emotional precision.
Haunting hooks and infectious melodies drive the record forward, while lyrics grapple with love, loss and transformation. It’s not just a collection of tracks—it’s a fully realised mood piece that pushes the band’s sonic identity into bolder territory.
Speaking on the album’s release, Shelter says:
“The Beast Goes On is a statement of resilience and devotion. It’s deeply personal because this full length marks the first official body of work introducing our drummer, Qi Wei. She brought a beautiful energy and fire into STARBENDERS, and that transformation is woven throughout the album.”
Watch the title track video
The official video for ‘The Beast Goes On’ was directed by Nashville filmmaker Hannah Gray Hall and expands the album’s themes of transformation and energetic exchange.
Shelter explains:
“The music video for ‘The Beast Goes On’ is the work of Nashville based director Hannah Gray Hall. She’s amazing and we love working with her. To me, it’s about energetic exchange and the invocation of something bigger than yourself. It isn’t about sacrifice, it’s about transformation. The story lives in that space between beauty and the beast, and the idea that both exist inside us all.”
The result is a fiendish yet elegant visual companion that underscores the band’s growing cinematic ambition.
2026 UK and European tour dates announced
Later this year, Starbenders will take their electric headline show across 32 cities in the UK and Europe, offering fans their first up-close taste of the new material.
Kimi Shelter reflects on returning to the UK:
“The United Kingdom has always felt like a second home to me. I have family roots there and feel that connection every time we land. It’s instinctive and deep. Some of our most powerful shows and favourite memories as a band have happened there. We are counting the days until we are back in the same room with you, sharing that electricity again. I have missed your beautiful faces.”
STARBENDERS UK/EU TOUR DATES 2026
30/05 | Athens (GR) • Gazarte Ground Stage
04/06 | Manchester (UK) • Deaf Institute
05/06 | Leeds (UK) • Brudenell Social Club
07/06 | Newcastle (UK) • Think Tank
08/06 | Glasgow (UK) • Slay
09/06 | Bristol (UK) • Fleece
11/06 | Southampton (UK) • The 1865
12/06 | London (UK) • Downstairs At The Dome
13/06 | Brighton (UK) • Patterns
16/06 | Stuttgart (DE) • Godmarks
17/06 | Weinheim (DE) • Cafe Central
19/06 | Madrid (ES) • Nazca
20/06 | Vitoria (ES) • Azkena Rock Festival
23/06 | Nijmejen (NL) • Merelyn
25/06 | Amsterdam (NL) • Paradiso (upstairs)
26/06 | Essen (DE) • Don’t Panic
27/06 | Hamburg (DE) • Betty
28/06 | Lund (SE) • Mejeriet
29/06 | Stockholm (SE) • Gröna Lund
01/07 | Helsinki (FI) • On The Rocks
02/07 | Tallinn (EE) • Paavli Kultuurivabrik
05/07 | Warsaw (PL) • VooDoo
06/07 | Krakow (PL) • Gwarek
07/07 | Budapest (HU) • Dürer Kert
09/07 | Milan (IT) • Legend Club
11/07 | Zurich (CH) • Werk 21
12/07 | Munich (DE) • Backstage
14/07 | Prague (CZ) • Bike Jesus
15/07 | Frankfurt (DE) • Nachtleben
16/07 | Düsseldorf (DE) • Pitcher
17/07 | Leipzig (DE) • Hellraiser
18/07 | Berlin (DE) • Badehaus
THE BEAST GOES ON OUT NOW via SUMERIAN RECORDS STREAM / PURCHASE HERE
