King Crimson Return: New Studio Album Underway with Latest Lineup

There’s exciting news for King Crimson fans this week, as it was revealed that the iconic masters of progressive rock are working on a new album. In an interview with Goldmine Magazine, guitarist Jakko Jakszyk stated that the band was working on a new studio release, although details are still few. The work will mark their first studio release since 2003’s The Power to Believe.

“As we speak, we’re doing a King Crimson studio album,” he told interviewer Howard Whitman. “When that will come out and what format or how—that’s beyond my brief. But yeah, we’ve been doing it piecemeal, and then a couple of months ago, the management said, ‘Can we?’ So, yeah. I’ve been recording that with a view to it coming out in some format at some point. But who knows when?”

Jakszyk went on to say that the album will feature Crimson’s most recent lineup: Jakszyk, Robert Fripp, Mel Collins, Pat Mastelotto, Gavin Harrison, Jeremy Stacey, and bassist Tony Levin. Levin, who first joined the band during their ’80s lineup, had expressed that he thought the band was over in 2021, but didn’t rule out further work.

In a 2022 interview with Metrograph, he said, “The sense I got from Robert [Fripp] was that it’s over. Maybe King Crimson will speak to him in the future in some way, and will revive its head with who-knows-what line up?”

Levin has since been touring with BEAT, a supergroup that celebrated the ’80s-era King Crimson music. They have a new live album coming soon. He’s also currently on the road with his band Stick Men, which features Mastelotto and touch guitarist Markus Reuter.

As to whether King Crimson will ever play live again, that is up in the air, as well. Jakszyk “There’s an ongoing thread. Whether that ever means we’ll ever play live again, I don’t know, especially after Robert’s recent illness.”

We’ll keep you updated as more details become available.