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In Times New Roman...
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| In Times New Roman... | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 16, 2023 | |||
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 47:37 | |||
| Label | Matador | |||
| Producer | Queens of the Stone Age | |||
| Queens of the Stone Age chronology | ||||
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| Singles from In Times New Roman... | ||||
In Times New Roman... is the eighth studio album by American rock band Queens of the Stone Age, released on June 16, 2023, through Matador Records.[3] It was announced in a video teaser on May 9, 2023,[6] and is the band's first album since Villains (2017).[7] The announcement occurred alongside the release of the lead single, "Emotion Sickness".[8] The band is currently touring North America and Europe in support of the record.[6][9] In Times New Roman... marks the conclusion of the band's trilogy of albums released through Matador that began with ...Like Clockwork (2013) and continued with Villains.
Recording
[edit]The band produced the album with mixing handled by Mark Rankin, and recorded it at frontman Josh Homme's Pink Duck Studios in Burbank, California,[8] as well as at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studio in Malibu, California.[3]
In an interview with NME ahead of the album's release, Homme spoke on how life events had an influence on the recording of In Times New Roman...:
"I think when you're dealing with the extreme ups and downs of life, you don't stop and go: 'I should really make a record.' Those things don't exist in that moment. If your roof is flooding, you don't say: 'We should make a record about this!' You have to stop yourself drowning in a flood. We recorded it probably two-and-a-half years ago, but it just sat there waiting to be finished. I didn't sing it until last November. I wasn't done living. Honestly, I was probably afraid. I wasn't ready. You need the flood to be over, and then you can decide whether you can accept the flood. I think with this being a record about acceptance, you need to actually get there yourself."[10]
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.0/10[11] |
| Metacritic | 80/100[12] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Classic Rock | |
| The Daily Telegraph | |
| Exclaim! | 7/10[1] |
| The Independent | |
| Kerrang! | |
| Louder Sound | |
| NME | |
| Pitchfork | 6.8/10[19] |
| Sputnikmusic | 3.7/5[20] |
In Times New Roman... received a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on 19 critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[12] Thomas Smith of NME described In Times New Roman... as "a grotty listen, using pain to encourage a rawness in their sound that's been absent since 2007's Era Vulgaris" and felt that "with enough fan-service for the die-hards; this is up there with their darkest, knottiest material to date, and will be appreciated all the more for it".[18] Fred Barrett of Slant Magazine wrote that while the album "abandons the glossy dance-rock of its predecessor, it doesn't do so in favor of exploring new styles, sounds, or textures". Barrett found that the album's highlights "prove that Queens of the Stone Age can still reliably deliver left-of-center alt-rock thrills [...] but after almost three decades of taking on every strand of rock music and embracing both the analog and the digital, it's disheartening, if perhaps understandable, that the band seems unsure of where to go next."[21]
Reviewing the album for Exclaim!, Spencer Nafekh-Blanchette wrote that "the band has moved away from their roots in some regards, but remain completely the same in others", elaborating that "the new LP takes their unique alternative rock to new dimensions, swapping uptempo rock n' roll jolts for a slow-yet-unnerving new groove. It's an album that's sure to please all listeners, but only truly satisfy real fans of the band."[1] Simon K. of Sputnikmusic opined that the band have "delivered something very familiar, but with just enough new things in it to make it somewhat fresh" and that the album "seems to trade in peaks and troughs for steadfast songwriting", despite finding that there are no "top-tier tracks you could stick on the quintessential Queens playlist".[20]
Writing for Pitchfork, Zach Schonfeld called it the band's "heaviest, angriest work since 2007's underrated Era Vulgaris", and felt that "Homme chips away the chrome-plated dance-rock machinations of 2017's Mark Ronson-produced Villains and tries to restore the band to a bluesy primitivity". Schonfeld also remarked that the album's "most compelling tracks deepen the anger with flashes of humor and wry introspection" and its "best songs [...] are hiding in the back half".[19]
Track listing
[edit]All lyrics are written by Josh Homme; all music is composed by Homme, Dean Fertita, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore, Troy Van Leeuwen.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Obscenery" | 4:23 |
| 2. | "Paper Machete" | 3:22 |
| 3. | "Negative Space" | 3:53 |
| 4. | "Time & Place" | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Made to Parade" | 5:18 |
| 6. | "Carnavoyeur" | 3:56 |
| 7. | "What the Peephole Say" | 4:06 |
| 8. | "Sicily" | 4:41 |
| 9. | "Emotion Sickness" | 4:31 |
| 10. | "Straight Jacket Fitting" | 9:01 |
| Total length: | 47:37 | |
Personnel
[edit]Queens of the Stone Age
- Josh Homme – performance, production, engineering
- Dean Fertita – performance
- Michael Shuman – performance
- Jon Theodore – performance
- Troy Van Leeuwen – performance
Additional musicians
- Richard Dodd – cello (tracks 1, 6, 8, 10)
- Leah Katz – viola (1, 6, 8, 10)
- Daphne Chen – violin (1, 6, 8, 10)
- Eric Gorfain – violin (1, 6, 8, 10)
- Nina McCoy – additional vocals (1)
- Sharetta Morgan-Harmon – additional vocals (1)
- Tenderlie Lavender – additional vocals (1)
- Matt Helders – additional vocals (9)
Technical
- Gavin Lurssen – mastering
- Reuben Cohen – mastering
- Mark Rankin – mixing, engineering
- Justin Smith – engineering
- Robert Stevenson – engineering
- Greg White – engineering assistance
- Davey Latter – drum technician
- Salar Rajabnik – guitar technician, keyboard technician
- Wayne Faler – guitar technician, keyboard technician
- Matt Zivich – guitar technician
- Brendan Benson – additional engineering (4)
- David Feeny – additional engineering (10)
Visuals
- Boneface – artwork
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Nafekh-Blanchette, Spencer (June 15, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age Dial Back the Intensity with In Times New Roman...". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ a b Johnston, Emma (June 16, 2023). "Desert rock superstars Queens of the Stone Age have returned to retain their crown". Classic Rock. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c Anderson, Carys (May 11, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age Announce New Album In Times New Roman..., Share "Emotion Sickness": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan (May 31, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age Release Shimmering New Single, "Carnavoyeur"". Spin. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- ^ Harrison, Scoop (June 14, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age Reveal Crunchy New Single "Paper Machete": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan (May 11, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age Combat 'Emotion Sickness' Ahead Of New LP". Spin. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Minsker, Evan (May 11, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age Announce New Album In Times New Roman..., Share Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- ^ Kaufman, Spencer (June 6, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age Announce 2023 North American Tour". Consequence. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Perry, Kevin EG (June 13, 2023). "Queens of The Stone Age: "This album sounds as brutal as it feels to be alive right now"". NME. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "In Times New Roman... by Queens of the Stone Age reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ a b "In Times New Roman... by Queens of the Stone Age Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman... Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^ Platt, Poppie (June 16, 2023). "Yusuf/Cat Stevens wants to lock politicians in London Zoo – the week's best albums". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Helen (June 16, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age review, In Times New Roman: Josh Homme vacillates between vulnerable and vindictive". The Independent. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ Ruskell, Nick (June 16, 2023). "Album Review: Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman...". Kerrang!. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ Brannigan, Paul (June 15, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age's In Times New Roman... is a brutal dissection of dark days and damage done, but Josh Homme's pain isn't everyone's gain". Louder Sound. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Smith, Thomas (June 15, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman review: dark, sludgy, brutal". NME. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ a b Schonfeld, Zach (June 16, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age: In Times New Roman... Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ a b K., Simon (June 15, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman...". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Barrett, Fred (June 12, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age In Times New Roman... Review: A Familiar Musical Language". Slant Magazine. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman..." (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman..." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman..." (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of July 1, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Lista prodaje 30. tjedan 2025" [Sales list Week 30 2025] (in Croatian). HDU. July 27, 2025. Archived from the original on August 12, 2025. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ^ "Hitlisten.NU – Album Top-40 Uge 25, 2023". Hitlisten. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman..." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Albumit 25/2023". Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Top Albums (Week 25, 2023)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman..." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2023. 25. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ "Irish Albums Chart Week 25 2023 Week Ending 30 Jun 2023". Irish Recording Music Association. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman...". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Weekly Albums Ranking Dated June 26, 2023" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums [Released on 2023/06/21]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Album 2023 uke 25". VG-lista. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista sprzedaży - albumy" (in Polish). OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Note: Change the date to 16.06.2023–22.06.2023 under "zmień zakres od–do:". Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman...". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 23/6/2023 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Top 100 Albums Weekly". PROMUSICAE. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 25". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman...". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart on 23/6/2023 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 23/6/2023 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart on 23/6/2023 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (June 25, 2023). "Morgan Wallen's 'One Thing at a Time' Hits 14 Weeks Atop Billboard 200, Most Since Adele's '21'". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ a b Rutherford, Kevin (June 28, 2023). "Queens of the Stone Age's 'In Times New Roman' Crowns Rock Album Charts". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "Year-End Charts: Top Album Current Sales (2023)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Year-End Charts: Top Alternative Albums (2023)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Year-End Charts: Top Hard Rock Albums (2023)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Inozemna izdanja – Godišnja lista 2025" (in Croatian). Top lista. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
In Times New Roman...
View on Grokipedia| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Obscenery" | 4:23 |
| 2. | "Paper Machete" | 3:22 |
| 3. | "Negative Space" | 3:53 |
| 4. | "Time & Place" | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Made to Parade" | 5:18 |
| 6. | "Carnavoyeur" | 3:56 |
| 7. | "What the Peephole Say" | 4:06 |
| 8. | "Sicily" | 4:41 |
| 9. | "Emotion Sickness" | 4:31 |
| 10. | "Straight Jacket Fitting" | 9:01 |
| Total length: | 47:37 |
Background
Development
In Times New Roman... is the eighth studio album by Queens of the Stone Age, marking the conclusion of the band's trilogy of releases on Matador Records that began with ...Like Clockwork in 2013 and continued with Villains in 2017.[6] The project represents a pivotal creative endeavor for frontman Josh Homme, who navigated significant personal challenges during its gestation period. Initial work on the album commenced in late 2020, but progress stalled amid Homme's health crisis and ongoing legal proceedings.[7] In 2022, Homme faced a cancer diagnosis that required surgery, leaving him sidelined for much of the year and contributing to delays in songwriting and album finalization.[8] Concurrently, his contentious divorce and custody battle with ex-wife Brody Dalle intensified, with a Los Angeles Family Court granting Homme sole legal custody of their three children in March 2022.[9] These events created a tumultuous backdrop, postponing substantive creative momentum until November 2022, when Homme reported feeling ready to resume and complete the material.[7] Homme has described the album as a deliberate shift toward a raw, primitive rock aesthetic, contrasting the more polished, groove-oriented production of Villains, which was helmed by Mark Ronson.[5] This return to unrefined energy stemmed from Homme's desire to channel personal turmoil into visceral, unadorned sounds following years of introspection and recovery. The core band lineup—Homme on guitar and vocals, Dean Fertita on guitar and keyboards, Michael Shuman on bass, Jon Theodore on drums, and Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar—solidified during the early demo phase, providing a stable foundation for the album's foundational tracks.[10] The album's title, In Times New Roman..., derives from a lyric in the closing track "Straight Jacket Fitting," evoking parallels between contemporary American society and the decline of the Roman Empire.[11] Homme conceived the ellipsis as a nod to the ongoing, unresolved nature of life's hardships, drawing from his handwritten notes that juxtaposed chaos with the refining process of adversity, symbolized by the standard Times New Roman font as a vessel for enduring narratives.[11] This thematic choice underscores the album's exploration of refinement emerging from personal and existential disorder.Recording
The recording of In Times New Roman... primarily took place at Pink Duck Studios in Burbank, California, with additional sessions held at Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, California, and Dumbfox Studio, beginning in early 2022.[1][12] The album was self-produced by Queens of the Stone Age, with engineering by Mark Rankin and Justin Smith, and mixing handled by Rankin.[13][14] Initial tracking commenced in the spring of 2022 but was interrupted by Josh Homme's personal issues, including a cancer diagnosis requiring surgery; recording resumed thereafter, with principal sessions wrapping by fall 2022 and vocals added in November.[15][16] The production approach prioritized a raw, brutal sound by capturing live band interplay in first or second takes, eschewing high-profile guest features to maintain an intimate, unpolished energy.[1][17][15] Post-production involved mastering by Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen at The Mastering Palace, with final mixes completed in November 2022.[13][18]Composition
Musical style
In Times New Roman... is classified as an alternative rock album with prominent stoner rock influences, marking Queens of the Stone Age's heaviest and most experimental effort since their 2007 release Era Vulgaris.[5] The record draws on the band's early raw energy, emphasizing bluesy riffs and primitive drumming that evoke their foundational sound while incorporating angular guitar textures for a jagged edge.[5][19] This contrasts sharply with the disco-infused polish of their previous album Villains (2017), opting instead for a raw, hermetic production style characterized by dry, airless mixes and stiff, splashy drum tones.[20][19] The album's instrumentation centers on the interplay of dual guitars from Josh Homme and Troy Van Leeuwen, delivering interlocking riffs and leads that drive the sonic palette.[21] Michael Shuman's bass lines provide a pulsating foundation, often foregrounded to anchor the grooves, while Dean Fertita's keyboards add atmospheric layers, from ominous swells to subtle textural support.[22] Jon Theodore's drumming contributes to the primitive feel with punchy, relentless rhythms that underscore the album's aggressive bursts.[23] Spanning 10 tracks and a total runtime of 47:37, the album features varied tempos, shifting from mid-tempo grooves to high-energy assaults. The opener "Obscenery" establishes a driving rhythm through its fuzz-laden riff and relentless propulsion, setting a tone of urgency.[23] "Straight Jacket Fitting," the nine-minute closer, unfolds as a progressive epic with building intensity, incorporating string arrangements and falsetto howls amid escalating tension.[24] Meanwhile, "Paper Machete" injects punk-infused energy via screeching guitars and blunt percussion, blending ferocity with the album's broader riff-driven ethos.[25]Lyrics and themes
The lyrics of In Times New Roman... were written exclusively by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, who served as the primary songwriter, while the music was co-composed by Homme alongside band members Dean Fertita, Jon Theodore, Michael Shuman, and Troy Van Leeuwen.[13] The album's thematic core revolves around turmoil, mortality, fractured relationships, and resilience in the face of chaos, drawing from Homme's personal experiences as a means of processing grief and uncertainty. Homme has described the songwriting as a therapeutic act, emphasizing vulnerability without relying on external therapy, stating, "Music is my therapist and my religion."[26] Recurring motifs throughout the lyrics include emotional sickness—a phrase that appears across multiple tracks to evoke a profound, soul-deep malaise—negative space representing voids of loss and absence, and carnivalesque voyeurism, which captures a detached observation of life's cycles of joy and decay. These elements reflect Homme's 2022 personal struggles, including his ongoing divorce from Brody Dalle and a subsequent custody battle, as well as a cancer diagnosis that year requiring surgery and recovery.[16][8] Homme has linked these motifs to broader reflections on mortality, noting the loss of 11 close friends and collaborators, such as Mark Lanegan and Taylor Hawkins, which amplified themes of acceptance amid irreversible change.[11] Specific tracks highlight these ideas through Homme's lens. "Emotion Sickness" directly addresses relational dysfunction and the raw pain of separation, with Homme explaining it as the "most direct" expression of his divorce's emotional toll, where he felt "so raw" that the music itself embodied the turmoil.[27] "Negative Space" delves into absence and loss, meditating on oblivion and betrayal, with lyrics like "I don’t know what’s true, particularly if it’s from you / Oh, betrayal it tears me up inside," which Homme ties to accepting uncontrollable events beyond the pandemic.[11][16] In "Made to Parade," Homme critiques superficiality through imagery of endless cycles, inspired by an obsession with merry-go-rounds as metaphors for repetitive, performative existence, underscoring resilience by urging confrontation with inner fears.[11] Homme's songwriting style employs abstract, poetic language delivered with his signature sardonic wit, eschewing literal autobiography in favor of evocative snapshots that invite interpretation while maintaining emotional authenticity. He has articulated this approach as striving for "as real, honest and vulnerable as it can be," often singing by candlelight to capture raw terror, such as in "Emotion Sickness," where he admits, "I’m afraid. I’m terrified."[11] Although the music received collaborative credits from the band, Homme has emphasized that the lyrics remained his singular vision, shaped in isolation to preserve their introspective intensity, which aligns with the album's raw, brutal musical tone.[16][15]Release and promotion
Singles
Queens of the Stone Age announced their eighth studio album, In Times New Roman..., via a video teaser on social media on May 9, 2023, revealing the cover art designed by longtime collaborator Boneface.[28][29] The full announcement followed on May 11 through Matador Records, confirming a June 16 release date and sharing the tracklist.[29] The lead single, "Emotion Sickness," debuted on May 11, 2023, accompanied by a surreal music video directed by and starring Liam Lynch.[30][31] The track, written by frontman Josh Homme and produced during the album's sessions at Homme's Pink Duck Studios, became available digitally across major streaming platforms to generate early buzz.[30] Follow-up single "Carnavoyeur" arrived on May 31, 2023, with an initial lyric video that highlighted the song's simmering, string-laden arrangement.[32] A subsequent full music video, released on June 13, featured experimental visuals emphasizing themes of life and death through striking, abstract imagery.[33] Like the lead single, it was co-written by the band and drawn from the same production sessions.[32] "Paper Machete" served as the final pre-release single on June 14, 2023, positioned as a promotional teaser just two days before the album's launch.[34] The crunchy, riff-driven track included an animated lyric video created in collaboration with Beavertown Brewery, underscoring its collage-like aesthetic.[35] All three singles were made immediately available on digital platforms and streaming services, strategically building anticipation for the full album rollout.[34] No additional singles were issued after the album's release, with the band prioritizing the complete project over further extractions.[5] The pre-release singles also laid the groundwork for the supporting tour, integrating into live sets to amplify fan engagement.Tour
The End Is Nero Tour, supporting Queens of the Stone Age's eighth studio album In Times New Roman..., commenced in 2023 as the band's first major headlining run in five years. The North American leg kicked off on August 3 in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and extended through October, encompassing over two dozen dates across amphitheaters and festivals, before transitioning to Europe in November and December with performances in venues like Luxembourg's Rockhal.[36][37][38] Setlists during the tour prominently featured debuts from the new album, including tracks such as "Paper Machete," "Emotion Sickness," and "Carnavoyeur," interwoven with staples like "No One Knows" and "Go With the Flow" to showcase the band's evolving catalog. Special festival appearances, notably at Hellfest in Clisson, France, on June 24—prior to the headlining dates—highlighted early live renditions of album material amid a broader European festival circuit that included Glastonbury. This integration emphasized the raw, energetic delivery characteristic of Queens of the Stone Age's performances, aligning with the gritty, riff-driven sound of In Times New Roman... as the capstone to their Matador Records trilogy alongside ...Like Clockwork (2013) and Villains (2017).[39][40][41] Frontman Josh Homme's ongoing recovery from emergency knee surgery in May 2023 and prior health challenges, including cancer treatment, influenced the tour's pacing, with adjusted scheduling to accommodate his condition while maintaining high-energy shows. The tour extended into 2024 with additional dates in Europe and North America, including festivals, but several shows were canceled in July 2024 following another emergency surgery for Homme; all remaining 2024 dates were canceled in August 2024 to allow him to receive essential medical care.[42][43][44][45] Supplementary promotion included radio sessions, such as BBC broadcasts from Glastonbury, and limited in-store appearances tied to album release events. In July 2024, amid a brief resumption of activity before further cancellations, the band filmed the intimate live recording Alive in the Catacombs beneath Paris, reinterpreting In Times New Roman... tracks in an unplugged format for an audience in the historic ossuary, capturing the tour's thematic intensity in a novel setting.[46][47][48] An EP of the performance, Alive in the Catacombs, was released on June 13, 2025, and a related film became available in June 2025.[49][50] In June 2025, the band announced The Catacombs Tour, a limited North American run of intimate theater performances starting October 2, 2025, in Chicago and concluding November 21, 2025, in New Orleans, featuring support from Paris Jackson on select dates and emphasizing acoustic and reimagined sets inspired by the catacombs recording.[51][52] A full-set livestream from Austin on November 18, 2025, was also scheduled.[53]Reception
Critical reception
Upon its release, In Times New Roman... received generally favorable reviews from critics, earning a Metacritic aggregate score of 80 out of 100 based on 19 reviews.[54] The album was praised for its raw intensity and a return to the band's bluesy roots, capturing a primitive, gritty energy that evoked Queens of the Stone Age's earlier work. Pitchfork awarded it 6.8 out of 10, highlighting it as the band's heaviest effort since 2007's Era Vulgaris and noting how tracks like "Paper Machete" and "Straight Jacket of the Mind" seethe with aggressive, blues-inflected riffs.[5] Similarly, NME gave it 4 out of 5 stars, describing the record as "dark, sludgy, brutal" and appreciating the rawness born from personal pain, which had been absent since the band's more abrasive periods.[55] Critics frequently connected the album's sound to Josh Homme's documented turmoil, including his cancer diagnosis, divorce, and the death of close friend Mark Lanegan, viewing it as a cathartic outlet that infused the music with visceral urgency. Mojo, scoring it 80 out of 100, observed that listeners could "feel Homme's pain, but ultimately marvel at his ability to channel it into music so brutally uplifting."[56] Comparisons to the band's 2000 album Rated R surfaced in several reviews for its lo-fi, primitive vibe, with Uncut (90 out of 100) calling it a "potent, heavy distillation of everything the group have done," reminiscent of that era's unpolished edge.[57] Some reviews offered mixed assessments, critiquing the album's insular quality. Rolling Stone praised inventive sonic touches but found it "hermetic" and less accessible than prior releases, with Homme's personal angst sometimes overshadowing broader appeal.[58] Louder (2.5 out of 5) echoed this, suggesting that while the dissection of "dark days and damage done" was brutal, Homme's pain did not always translate into universal resonance.[59] By 2025, retrospectives have affirmed In Times New Roman...'s enduring place in Queens of the Stone Age's discography, particularly amid the band's touring resurgence and the release of the live album Alive in the Catacombs, which captured performances from the supporting tour and underscored the record's live potency despite ongoing challenges like Homme's health setbacks, including emergency surgery in August 2024 that led to tour cancellations.[48][60] Publications such as Forbes highlighted the album's role in proving the band's vitality as one of rock's premier acts, even as they navigated a period of uncertainty.[61]Commercial performance
In Times New Roman... debuted at number one on the US Billboard Rock Albums chart, marking Queens of the Stone Age's third number-one album on that tally, while entering at number nine on the Billboard 200 with 40,000 album-equivalent units, of which 36,000 were pure album sales. Internationally, the album topped the charts in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and New Zealand during its debut week.[62][63] The album reached peak positions of number two in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany, among other markets. On year-end charts for 2023, it ranked number 42 on the US Hard Rock Albums chart and number 79 in Belgium, with streaming totals exceeding 100 million by mid-2024.[63][64] Several factors contributed to its commercial success, including strong vinyl sales driven by limited-edition releases in colors such as silver, red, and translucent blue, as well as a boost from the band's 2023 tour. The album maintained steady catalog performance into 2025 without a major resurgence. Compared to the band's 2013 release ...Like Clockwork, In Times New Roman... outperformed it in alternative airplay metrics.[65][62]Credits
Track listing
All tracks written by Queens of the Stone Age (Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Dean Fertita, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore).[66][13]| No. | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Obscenery" | 4:23 |
| 2 | "Paper Machete" | 3:22 |
| 3 | "Negative Space" | 3:53 |
| 4 | "Time & Place" | 4:26 |
| 5 | "Made to Parade" | 5:18 |
| 6 | "Carnavoyeur" | 3:56 |
| 7 | "What the Peephole Say" | 4:06 |
| 8 | "Sicily" | 4:41 |
| 9 | "Emotion Sickness" | 4:31 |
| 10 | "Straight Jacket Fitting" | 9:01 |
Personnel
The album In Times New Roman... features the core Queens of the Stone Age lineup performing principal roles across its tracks.[67] Queens of the Stone Age- Josh Homme – vocals, guitar, piano, percussion, production, engineering[67][68]
- Troy Van Leeuwen – guitar, bass, backing vocals[67]
- Dean Fertita – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals[67]
- Michael Shuman – bass, guitar, backing vocals[67]
- Jon Theodore – drums[67]
- The Section Quartet – strings (tracks 1, 6, 8, 10)[67]
- Daphne Chen – violin (tracks 1, 6, 8, 10)
- Eric Gorfain – violin (tracks 1, 6, 8, 10)
- Leah Katz – viola (tracks 1, 6, 8, 10)
- Richard Dodd – cello (tracks 1, 6, 8, 10)
- Queens of the Stone Age – production[67][68]
- Johannes Luley – engineering[67]
- Matt Wallace – engineering[67]
- Mark Rankin – mixing[67][68]
- Joe LaPorta – mastering[67]
- Liam McMurry – art direction, layout[67]
- Josh Homme – art direction[67]
- Chapman Baehler – photography[67]
- Boneface – artwork[67]
