Sydney-based experimental rock collective GODSWOUNDS returns with their most ambitious release yet, Cheer Up Sunshine (Sonichimaera), set for release on February 28. The album pushes sonic boundaries with a mix of high-energy rock, progressive instrumentation, and vintage technology repurposed for a modern psychedelic onslaught.

“Etched onto the stationary of a hotel notepad, the late, great Freddie Mercury left clues to the original title of Queen’s famed ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. What was it originally called? Why, ‘Mongolian Rhapsody’, of course! ‘Tantamount Love’ is our take on what a Mongolian Rhapsody could be: A high-energy, psychedelic history of the rise and rise again of the Mongolian Empire, full of sound and fury,” the band explains.

GODSWOUNDS’ dynamic lineup includes Lachlan Kerr, Danny Heifetz (Mr. Bungle) on drums, Muel Howell (drums), Sam Sheumack (guitar), Simeon Bartholomew (bass), Paul Murchison (horns), and special guest Toshi Kasai (vocals, guitar, sitar, mandolin, sanshin). The album was produced by Toshi Kasai and Lachlan Kerr, blending raw, live energy with avant-garde studio experimentation.

In true GODSWOUNDS fashion, Cheer Up Sunshine thrives on juxtaposition—melding technical prowess with unorthodox methods. The album features Gameboys and Sega Mega Drive sound chips repurposed as MIDI synths, vintage tape players, and cheap effects boxes, creating an underlying texture of nostalgia (“natsukashii”) even in its most explosive moments.

Recorded in a modest wooden studio in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, the album showcases intricate dual-drum work, brash brass arrangements, and layered harmonies inspired by Queen’s grandiosity. Tracks like “Soulworm,” “Ex Nihilo,” and “A Goat in the Wilderness” highlight GODSWOUNDS’ push-and-pull rhythm section, where Simeon’s punk-driven bass locks into the pocket, while the dual drum attack of Muel and Heifetz adds depth and unpredictability.

“I see this album as a celebration of the remarkable talent of Muel, Simeon, Sam, Paul, Danny, and, of course, Toshi, and what an honor it is to make music with them,” says Lachlan.

With Cheer Up Sunshine, GODSWOUNDS continues its legacy of creating boundary-pushing, high-intensity music that defies genre and expectation.