Assemblage 23 releases new single ‘Tolerate’ ahead of new album ‘Null’ due November 7
Assemblage 23 (Photo by Mari Shear)
US industrial synth-pop act Assemblage 23 releases the digital single “Tolerate” today via Metropolis Records, as the first preview of the forthcoming studio album “Null”, set for November 7, 2025.
The single “Tolerate” is released as a digital-only track. “Null” will follow in digital, CD, and vinyl formats. Tom Shear confirmed there will be no special editions for the new record: “Just 10 tracks that I put everything I’ve got into,” with mastering by Da5id Din (Corrosive Audio).
A short preview clip for “Tolerate” is available on the official YouTube channel, alongside an earlier teaser.
Pre-orders for “Null” are live on Bandcamp, where “Tolerate” appears as the instant-grat track.
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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