Ray Hawthorne – announces new album “Ray Hawthorne Sucks” & new single “Body Count”

Ray Hawthorne is back and louder than ever, delivering a heavy dose of sarcasm, rage, and brutal honesty with his upcoming album, “Ray Hawthorne Sucks” set for release on November 7th, 2024. Leading the charge is the ferocious new single, “Body Count“, which puts Hawthorne‘s biting wit and raw energy front and center.

Renowned for his work in North Kingsley alongside Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down, his inaugural solo release “Heartbreak Feels Good in a Place Like This” had initially crowned him as the Heartbreak Hero. His upcoming album, “Ray Hawthorne Sucks“ takes a hard left turn that channels frustration, irony, and self-deprecating humor into the signature Ray Hawthorne genre-blurring sound.

Speaking on today’s single release, Ray Hawthorne shares:

“I have very little self control. Like almost none. I can get addicted to pretty much anything, and if it exists I’ve probably overdone it at some point. Whether something is generally considered good or bad for you, I will beat that shit into the ground until I just

can’t do it anymore. So “Body Count” is about just fucking running. Causing problems and running so far away from them that your avoidance becomes a new problem in itself. Sometimes I feel like my life is just a continuous loop of ignoring things until I find myself back at square one. But hey, it is what it is, I guess when you stop doing drugs you just find new ways to fuck up your life. Even if that new way is a consistent and ever increasing hunt for rare Ninja Turtles figures.”

Lifting the curtain behind his upcoming album release, Ray continues:

“The last 9 months have been pretty fucking crazy for me. In a completely unexpected turn of events, people (for some reason) started giving a shit about the silly songs I record in my bathroom. This has been equal parts exciting and nerve-racking. Throughout the last 9 months I have panicked, blown out my voice a few times, injured myself during the LA marathon, celebrated my dog’s second birthday, and released a new song almost every week. I don’t know how or why, but that’s what I did. This album is a collection of some of my favorite songs throughout that process, and listening back to them all in one go is somewhat interesting to me. Hopefully it’s slightly interesting to you.”

Ray Hawthorne Sucks: Track Listing
Flatline
Don’t Come Back
All My Happy Friends Tell Me I’m Depressed
Burn It Down
Us
Shelter ft bren
Breakdown
STFU
Body Count
Drunk Texts ft Caroline Reilly
Panic Mode
Bed Bugs
Haunted ft Kellin Quinn
Jonah Hill
Until You

Fans can pre-save the new album HERE. Fans can also purchase a limited run of exclusive vinyl HERE.

“Ray Hawthorne Sucks” is a self-aware, tongue-in-cheek title, but it’s also a reflection of the album’s themes—self-doubt, frustration, and embracing the chaos. The project is a far cry from the more cinematic, heartfelt journey of his debut EP “Heartbreak Feels Good in a Place Like This“. Instead, it plunges listeners into a gritty, unpredictable soundscape, blending post-punk, hardcore, and Hawthorne’s emo roots into a genre-defying mix that is as chaotic as it is cathartic.