Royal Blood, the Worthing-formed duo of Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher, confirmed their fifth album, 'Dead Company', is due for release on November 13. The band spoke to NME backstage at Reading 2026, following a mid-afternoon secret set at the Gallery stage.
Kerr described the album as "pretty relentless," adding, "There's not really any breathing room." He also noted that the band imagined playing every song live during its creation. Thatcher suggested the album has the energy of their first record, combined with their experience from four previous albums.
The band reflected on their debut at Reading in 2014, where they played to thousands at the NME/Radio 1 Stage, a significant step up from the 100-capacity rooms they were accustomed to at the time.