Do you think there'll be any new tracks at the Christmas dates?

[Master Ray]

I mean, it's been the best part of three years since Unbroken came out... be nice if we got some indication about what direction the next album might be heading.

Whilst we're talking about it, do you like hearing new tracks premiered at a live show, even if it might be a good long while before you get an official release?

Or whatever.  Just a random thought, trying to keep the Forum going...   

[Winterwulf]

Whilst we're talking about it, do you like hearing new tracks premiered at a live show, even if it might be a good long while before you get an official release?

Yes, if they then do then appear on the next album - I was massively hacked off that "Knife" (played live in late '91) wasn't on "LoHC" when it came out and wondered what had happened to it, until it finally emerged on "Lost Songs".

[huwcamden]

Totally with you about "knife" winterwulf...it's a far better song than "understand you" or "afternoon song" and would have strengthened even further the collosus that was LOHC...And yes Master ray I love hearing a song live before it comes out on the album I remember hearing "long goodbye" and Wonderful way to go" at shepherds Bush empire in 97 or thereabouts and knew from then strange brotherhood would be a killer comeback.

[Guillaume]

I remember hearing "long goodbye" and Wonderful way to go" at shepherds Bush empire in 97 or thereabouts and knew from then strange brotherhood would be a killer comeback.

When NMA played in my small town in April 1995, they performed three songs from *Strange Brotherhood*—three years before the album was even released!:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/new-model-army/1995/hippodrome-devreux-navarre-evreux-france-5bc72b60.html

I seem to recall Justin saying that the recording process for *Strange Brotherhood* was a nightmare; the band had spent months (or was it years?) in the studio, and Justin and Robert Heaton no longer saw eye to eye on anything musically.

I checked the setlist.fm site, and usually, NMA plays a maximum of three/four songs from a new album in concert before the album is actually released—which usually happens a few weeks or months later. According to that same site, if the band  plays their final show of the year in December they then spend the beginning of the following year recording a new album... which is why I thought they would be recording a new album in early 2026—January, February, March, or April—but apparently, that’s not how it played out this time!  We're obviously eager for a new album, but the most important thing is that the band gives us beautiful songs, even if it takes them 5 years...it's better than an album that comes out quickly but is rushed.