Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan, the latest offering from The Mountain Goats is released on November 7th, via the band’s own label, Cadmean Dawn. The album, a maritime tale of survival and delusion, weaves a dark and intricate narrative centred on the aftermath of a devastating shipwreck. In John Darnielle’s words:
“There were sixteen men on a fishing boat but only three survived the storm, and one of those went missing, and is presumed dead. That leaves me & Peter Balkan, whose health is failing as his apocalyptic visions dissipate in the spray at the shore.”
The story focuses on the remaining survivors—an unnamed narrator, Captain Peter Balkan, and a third, unnamed man—who find themselves stranded on a desert island. The isolation and dwindling resources plague the characters, while the captain’s failing health is paralleled by his increasingly vivid, yet fleeting, apocalyptic visions. The album is a dense exploration of survival, psychological decay, and the fine line between faith and delusion in the face of certain doom.
Following the earlier release of “Armies of the Lord”, two new singles have been released: “Cold At Night” and “Rocks In My Pockets”. Darnielle shared the following on Cold at Night which is accompanied by a Lyric Video:
“A great good day to all who sail the treacherous waters of our broken world. We, the Mountain Goats, come bearing new songs, not just one as in former days, but two, as there is a need for more songs. “Cold at Night” is about a shipwreck and its immediate aftermath. Bass on “Cold” is by Tommy Stinson, who you know from The Replacements and Guns ‘n’ Roses. Guitars on “Cold” are by Matt Douglas, who produced these tracks and wrote the string arrangements.”
“Rocks in My Pockets”, he explains, “is a soliloquy from Adam, one of three survivors from the wreck. It is the last we hear from him. Harp by the great Mikaela Davis. All three members of The Mountain Goats — Jon, John, and Matt — play guitars on “Rocks,” and the track is live except for the percussion and harp overdubs. Harmony & response vocals on “Cold at Night” are by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who sang as Charley in the 2012 “Merrily We Roll Along” concert. I will never get over having a guy who has sung Sondheim onstage on my album: thanks, bud. The rest of you: enjoy!”
The Mountain Goats will be touring the EU and UK in the Autumn of 2026.
Pre-Order the album: https://30tgrs.ffm.to/ttfafpb