Renowned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee bassist of Pearl Jam fame, Jeff Ament, recently announced the release of his new EP, American Death Squad, amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For Seattle, Washington-based alternative rock juggernauts, Pearl Jam, the recent postponement of their spring 2020 tour has put a damper on properly promoting their recently released eleventh full-length studio album, Gigaton, released back in March via Monkeywrench/Republic Records.

As previously reported in Spin, “While in quarantine, though, bassist Jeff Ament channeled his energy into writing and recording a solo EP, which was announced today (June 26). American Death Squad features four new songs, including the moody and melodic ‘The Divine Perfume.'”

(2/4) “…word of March. So, every morning, I retreated to the studio with the goal of writing a song every day, no matter how shite.

Days of isolating and watching the news of the destruction courtesy the virus (and the ineptitude of our leadership or as named here,…” pic.twitter.com/uEvaswFRg8

— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) June 26, 2020

Ament’s melancholic latest single “The Divine Perfume” is reflective of the uncertain and trying circumstances surrounding the current social climate as well as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The track’s all encompassing tone and composition tug at the listener’s heart strings evoking a sense of restlessness. Though poetically tragic, the track’s appeal is how relatable it is to its listeners and what resonates is a sense of hope that remains intact through the hardships. The track opens with striking reverb drums and equally affective piano strings. The video, shot in black and white, features a ventriloquist sitting behind a microphone and piano.

In the aforementioned Spin article, it furthers the genesis behind Ament’s latest musical offering, American Death Squad, with Ament saying:

“In the days following the postponement of our tour, I found it necessary to find an outlet for the energy we had created going into the tour. Pivot was the word of March. So, every morning, I retreated to the studio with the goal of writing a song every day, no matter how shite. Days of isolating and watching the news of the destruction courtesy the virus (and the ineptitude of our leadership or as named here the American Death Squad) made for vivid dreams and a helplessness. These were some of the first songs out of the gate. Raw and succinct.”

(4/4) Tracklist:

Piano
– Side A: 1. The Divine Perfume 2. No Papers

Guitar
– Side B: 1. Loss Leader 2. Killer 3. Revenge

— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) June 26, 2020

To pre-order American Death Squad 7-inch, visit here. To listen to “The Devine Perfume” stream below, via YouTube.

Photo credit: Alyssa Fried