Duran Duran announces Halloween-themed album “Danse Macabre” — hear first single

Duran Duran | Photo by Jonas Akerlund

Duran Duran today announced their new album Danse Macabre, a Halloween-inspired collection that includes three brand-new songs and covers of The Specials, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Talking Heads, Billie Eilish and more — as well as new versions of some of the band’s old songs.

The album finds the band reuniting with two of its former guitarists, Andy Taylor — who is terminally ill — and Warren Cuccurullo, the latter of whom plays on the title track, which you can hear below.

The 13-song Danse Macabre, which also features guest turns by Nile Rodgers and Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin, is due out Oct. 27 and can be pre-ordered on CD, vinyl and digital formats from Amazon.com, as well as through the band’s site.

The new songs include “Danse Macabre,” “Black Moonlight” and “Confession of an Afterlife.” And the band covers Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Spellbound,” The Specials’ “Ghost Town,” Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” and Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend.”

Also included: new recordings of 1981’s “Night Boat,” 1983 B-side “Secret Oktober” and 1993’s “Love Voodoo” — plus “Super Lonely Freak,” a mashup of 1983’s “Lonely in Your Nightmare” and Rick James’ “Super Freak.”

The new album was inspired by Duran Duran’s Halloween show last year, which included many of the tracks that now appear on Danse Macabre. In the press announcement of the new album, Nick Rhodes says, “That evening inspired us to explore further and to make an album, using Halloween as the key theme. The record metamorphosed through a pure, organic process, and not only was it made faster than anything since our debut album, it has also resulted in something none of us could have ever predicted.”

Duran Duran, Danse Macabre

1. “Nightboat” (Re-recording)
2. “Black Moonlight” (New song)
3. “Love Voudou” (Re-recording)
4. “Bury A Friend” (Billie Eilish cover)
5. “Supernature” (Cerrone cover)
6. “Danse Macabre” (New song)
7. “Secret Oktober 31st” (Re-recording)
8. “Ghost Town” (The Specials cover)
9. “Paint It Black” (Rolling Stones cover)
10. “Super Lonely Freak” (Duran Duran/Rick James mashup)
11. “Spellbound” (Siouxsie and the Banshees cover)
12. “Psycho Killer” (Talking Heads cover)
13. “Confession in the Afterlife” (New song)

Duran Duran is currently touring behind its most recent album, 2021’s Future Past. Check out those dates below:

Duran Duran tour dates

Aug. 31: St. Paul, MN – Minnesota State Fair
Sept. 1: Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion @ Northerly Island
Sept. 3: Canandaigua, NY – CMAC
Sept. 6: Boston, MA – TD Garden
Sept. 7: Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Sept. 9: Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Points Arena
Sept. 10: Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blosson Music Center
Sept. 13: Washington, D.C. – Capital One Arena
Sept. 16: Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sept. 19: Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Sept. 22: Queens, NY – Forest Hills Stadium *

* With Grace Jones

Bastille and Nile Rodgers & CHIC open all non-festival shows

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

• Duran Duran recording with Andy Taylor, other “family and friends” for special project
• Duran Duran announces 27-date “The Future Past” North American tour
• Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Pat Benatar among 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
• Duran Duran’s John Taylor recovers from coronavirus: ‘We can and will beat this thing’
• Duran Duran disavows use of ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ in controversial Yoplait yogurt ad