CHVRCHES Releases New Single
CHVRCHES return with their first new song in three years, the industrial track Roses.
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Key Points
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“Roses” premiered as BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record, giving the comeback single a prominent first broadcast before its wider release.
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CHVRCHES first previewed the new era during Robert Smith’s Teenage Cancer Trust concert series at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where Mayberry said the band had been “making a record” and performed an unreleased song live for the first time.
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The song’s visual treatment features Mayberry in a new goth-inspired look performing beside a crashed car and a suit of knight’s armor, reinforcing its historical and political imagery.
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Since Screen Violence, the members have pursued separate projects: Mayberry released the solo album Vicious Creature, while Martin Doherty formed The Leaving with touring drummer Jonny Scott, whose debut album Ultimate Buzz arrived earlier this year.
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The band had already debuted another new song, “Conman,” at the Royal Albert Hall concert; its lyrics and pulsing industrial bass suggest that the darker, heavier direction extends beyond “Roses.”
Scottish synth-pop trio CHVRCHES returned after three years with "Roses," a dark industrial track that marks a bold shift toward heavier sounds and political commentary. BBC Radio 1 named it the Hottest Record, giving the comeback single prime early airtime before its September 22 release through Futures Music Group. Band member Lauren Mayberry said the extended break allowed CHVRCHES to challenge itself rather than repeat past work, resulting in what she called the group's "most coherent vision yet."
The trio plans intimate charity shows in Glasgow on October 26 and London on October 29 to mark the comeback. Rock Sound reported that "Roses" tackles current societal norms in Britain with scathing lyrics about the nation's colonial, monarchical, and class-bound history. The song's music video features Mayberry in a new goth-inspired look performing beside a crashed car and knight's armor, reinforcing its historical imagery.
A Three-Year Wait Ends With Darker Direction
"Roses" opens a new era for CHVRCHES after their last album, 2021's Screen Violence. The single pushes further into rock and industrial territory than previous work, signaling the band has moved beyond its synth-pop roots. Mystic Sons noted this represents the longest break the band has ever taken between releases.
Mayberry explained that the band used its time away to evolve rather than stagnate. The three-year gap allowed members to pursue solo and side projects—Mayberry released the solo album Vicious Creature, while drummer Jonny Scott and guitarist Martin Doherty formed The Leaving, whose debut album Ultimate Buzz came out earlier this year.
Previewing the New Sound at Royal Albert Hall
CHVRCHES first teased its comeback during Robert Smith's Teenage Cancer Trust concert series at London's Royal Albert Hall. Mayberry revealed the band had been "making a record" and performed an unreleased song live for the first time. The performance gave fans an early glimpse of the group's heavier new direction before "Roses" officially dropped.
The trio debuted another new track, "Conman," at the same Royal Albert Hall concert. Back Seat Mafia noted the song's pulsing industrial bass and fierce lyrics suggest the darker, heavier sound extends well beyond just "Roses." This second preview confirmed the band's full shift away from lighter synth-pop toward grittier rock-influenced material.
Political Lyrics Confront Britain's History
"Roses" uses its dark industrial sound as a vehicle for politically charged lyrics that take aim at Britain's colonial legacy, monarchical traditions, and rigid class system. The song refuses to shy away from critique, marking a more direct approach to social commentary than CHVRCHES has taken before. The track's blunt subject matter paired with its aggressive production creates an urgent, confrontational tone.
The music video reinforces this messaging through deliberate visual symbolism. Mayberry performs alongside imagery of destroyed vehicles and medieval armor, creating a collision between modern politics and historical power structures. This visual language suggests CHVRCHES intends to wrestle with how Britain's past continues to shape its present, making "Roses" both a musical and thematic statement.
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