Assemblage 23 announces ‘Null’ on Metropolis Records for 7 November 2025 – More details available now
Assemblage 23 announces 'Null' on Metropolis Records for 7 November 2025
Assemblage 23, the US electro-industrial/futurepop project led by Tom Shear, will release its tenth studio album, “Null”, via Metropolis Records on 7 November 2025. The 10-track record is the first full-length since 2020’s “Mourn” and was preceded by the singles “Tolerate” and “Believe”.
On “Believe”, Shear says: “This song is about believing that there is hope for better things… In the face of bad times, sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is to have hope.” You can check out both tracks below. A short UK/Germany tour will begin today 15 October.
“Null” will be available digitally, on CD, and on vinyl, with no special editions. Shear himself described it as “a very clubby and energetic album.”
Assemblage 23 UK/Germany Tour
- 15th October – Bristol Exchange
- 16th October – Manchester Rebellion
- 17th October – Glasgow Ivory Blacks
- 18th October – Sheffield Corporation
- 19th October – London The Dome
- 20th October – Oberhausen Kulttempel
About Assemblage 23
Assemblage 23 is a US electronic project founded in 1988 by Tom Shear in Exton, Pennsylvania. The project is brings a mix of futurepop, electro-industrial, synth-pop, and EBM. Early releases appeared via Gashed! Records before a long-term partnership with Metropolis Records (US) and Accession Records (EU).
Shear started writing and recording as Assemblage 23 in 1988, developing the project as a one-person studio act. Throughout the 1990s he circulated demos and compilation tracks that were later documented on the collection “Early, Rare, and Unreleased 1988–1998”. The debut album “Contempt” arrived in 1999 on the Canadian label Gashed!.
In 2001, Assemblage 23’s second album “Failure” marked the start of a long relationship with Metropolis Records in North America and Accession Records in Europe (earlier material was subsequently reissued by these labels). A steady cadence followed with “Defiance” (2002) and “Storm” (2004).
The albums “Meta” (2007), “Compass” (2009), and “Bruise” (2012) refined Assemblage 23’s musical sound with a denser sound design and a balance between dancefloor tracks and mid-tempo songs. During this period the live configuration became stable with Shear on vocals/programming, Paul Seegers on keyboards, and Mike Jenney on drums.
“Endure” was released on August 28, 2016 (Metropolis). “Mourn” followed on September 11, 2020. In 2021, a 20th-anniversary edition of “Failure” appeared on 2CD and 2LP, featuring a new mix by Tom Shear (mastered by Da5id Din) and an additional disc of remixes.
“Null”, the next full-length, is scheduled for November 7, 2025 with the lead single “Tolerate” preceding the album.
Shear also records as Nerve Filter (instrumental/experimental electronics) and Surveillance (an EBM-centric project). Since 2017 he has released music as Helix with vocalist Mari Kattman. These projects run parallel to Assemblage 23 and occasionally share personnel and production approaches.
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