Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
In a sea of singles, EPs and albums that seem to be getting shorter in length every day, one 80s rock band is rebelling against the norm with the final part in their mega-long album.
American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins has released the third act of their Atum album, concluding the three-act rock opera with a final 11-song spell.
The band’s 12th studio album, cumulative of all parts, clocks in at 138 minutes (yes, more than two hours) and tells the story of Shiny, a semi-fictional character, semi-autobiographical character previously known as Zero and Glass.
Atum (pronounced ‘autumn’) has been released in three parts, called Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. Each act consists of 11 songs, and each act was released 11 weeks after the prior.
In addition, a physical box set containing all 33 songs, and an additional 10 extra songs, has also been released.
Atum: Act One was released on November 15 last year, while Act Two was released on January 31 this year, and Atum: Act Three was released last Friday.
The primary songwriter and producer Billy Corgan also plays the guitar, bass guitar and keyboards, with Jimmy Chamberlin on drums, James Iha on guitar and Jeff Schroeder on guitar.
For James Iha, it is the first time in 18 years being back in the band.
Katie Cole and Sierra Swan provide backing vocals.
Billed as the sequel to 1995’s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina/Machine of God, the latest album is nothing short of a musical experience and proves that the band continues to be one of the most prolific bands creating music today.
