The Smashing Pumpkins - Aghori Mhori Mei [Black Vinyl LP]

The Smashing Pumpkins' thirteenth studio album Aghori Mhori Mei marks a powerful return to the guitar-driven sound that defined the band's classic era. Released through Martha's Music and Thirty Tigers, this is the first album where it feels like original members James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin are fully back in the band for more than just publicity photos. Billy Corgan explained the album's concept: "In the writing of this new album I became intrigued with the well-worn axiom, 'you can't go home again,' which I have found personally to be true in form but thought well, what if we tried anyway? Not so much in looking backwards with sentimentality but rather as a means to move forward." The band wanted to get into the mindset of recording songs in the spirit of Siamese Dream but not replicating the exact sound, using old processes with a new version of themselves. Produced with long-time collaborator Howard Willing, the 10-track album delivers 44 minutes of roaring guitars and thunderous drums that old-school fans have been craving.

"Sighommi" was released as the first single and became the number one most-added track to alternative and rock radio formats in its first week. The album opens with "Edin" before launching into "Pentagrams," both showcasing the heavier guitar approach that permeates the record. "Pentecost" and "War Dreams of Itself" demonstrate the band's ability to craft expansive sonic landscapes while maintaining aggressive energy. "Who Goes There" delivers Corgan's signature melodic sensibility over crushing guitars, while "999" brings atmospheric intensity. "Goeth the Fall" and "Sicarus" maintain the album's relentless pace, and the closer "Murnau" provides a fitting conclusion to this statement of renewed creative vitality. Throughout the album, Chamberlin's precise drumming anchors Iha and Corgan's dual guitar attack.

This black vinyl pressing captures the album's raw power and dynamic range with clarity. The standard jacket features striking black-and-white artwork designed by visual artist Katelan Foisy, depicting a spherical object that has sparked debate and interpretation among fans. This pressing delivers one of the Smashing Pumpkins' strongest albums in decades, proving that the core trio can still create vital, relevant rock music while honoring their storied past.

• Format: Black Vinyl LP
• Standout tracks: "Sighommi," "Edin," "Pentagrams," "War Dreams of Itself"
• Pressing details: Standard jacket
• Genre/style: Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, Grunge, Art Rock
• UPC: 732388206537

Aghori Mhori Mei represents the Smashing Pumpkins at their most focused and energized in years, balancing nostalgia with forward momentum. This vinyl edition captures a band rediscovering what made them iconic while refusing to simply recreate their past.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A:

1. Edin
2. Pentagrams
3. Sighommi
4. Pentecost
5. War Dreams Of Itself

Side B:

1. Who Goes There
2. 999
3. Goeth The Fall
4. Sicarus
5. Murnau