the church need no introduction. After over three decades of making music in various formats, lineups, places and cognitive states, this is a band who have committed, even succumbed, to exploring unchartered sonic territories.

The next chapter comes in the form of new music, a new band member and a chance for that to be shared with old fans and new ones through the release of the church's 25th studio album titled Further/Deeper, which will be released in Australia and New Zealand on October 17. Information regarding the international release of the album will be announced shortly. Further to this, the band will be playing the album in full for a number of live shows towards the end of this year. This is merely a taste of things to come, given that there is no sign that the church are willing to put down their instruments any time soon.

With longtime member Marty Willson-Piper being unavailable, Ian Haug (formerly of Powderfinger) has come on board to partner the iconic guitar playing of founding member Peter Koppes. Alongside frontman Steve Kilbey, stalwart dummer Tim "timEbandit" Powles - who also produced the album with the band - , Haug has helped the quartet to together discover a new textural dimension, and has acted, according to Kilbey, as a "blood transfusion that has brought us back to life".

The band will play Further/Deeper live in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne in late October and early November. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, September 17.

Kilbey, whose inspiration seemingly sees no bounds, has also been creating a series of paintings as memes for the albums lyrical themes, some of which will be available to purchase from the band's merchandise store and will be exhibited in Title stores across the country in the lead up to album release.

The first taste of Further/Deeper comes in the form of the track 'Pride Before A Fall'. The ballad introduces us to the next step in the church's sound, and while embracing the signature psych leanings fans have come to know and love, 'Pride Before A Fall' is proof that the band are making music that is both futuristic and relevant.

While it's easy to attribute the church's musical accolades with titles such as "iconic" or even "legendary", their recent panel discussion at BIGSOUND shone a light on the fact that this is a group of people who continue to be trailblazers of music. According to music review aggregator www.allmusic.com, the church sit at number two, only behind tied number ones The Rolling Stones and The Fall, as the most sustained critically acclaimed bands in the world with over 15 albums ranking 4+ stars. Kilbey made it clear during the recent panel discussion that curiosity and an unbridled commitment to sound continues to breed this musical alchemy, and Further Deeper is a yet another insight into why the church are, and will remain, sonic cartographers for as long as they are creating music.