Between The Buried and Me announced that they’re in the studio working on their ninth studio album, due sometime in 2021. The progressive metal band had been acting like they weren’t working on music this year, but decided to break that illusion with some photos from the studio with their usual producer, Jamie King.

“It’s more music than you’ll know what to do with,” frontman Tommy Rogers tweeted. The band’s last album was Automata II, the second part of two Automata albums released in 2018. While most of their records tend to sit around an hour-long runtime, Automata I & II were split up to keep each release in the 30-40 minute range. Rogers’ tweet indicates that their next album will likely be longer again.

🎉It has begun. New BTBAM full length album coming in 2021!!⁣#btbam #weactedlikewehaventbeenwritingbutwehavebeenwritingallyearlongsorry pic.twitter.com/xG0Kwy5a86

— BTBAM (@btbamofficial) November 16, 2020

Rogers has dropped a couple solo releases since Automata II under his alias Tommy Giles. His latest full-length came out later in 2018 with the title Don’t Touch the Outside. In 2019, he contributed a song to the We Stand Corrected: Dannemora documentary soundtrack. Most recently, he shared a three-track EP named Feel Better this June.

Between the Buried and Me are known to spend a lot of time touring and had some big plans for 2020. They were going to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary with a spring tour, as well as belatedly celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 2009 album, The Great Misdirect. Unfortunately, they had to postpone those tour dates due to COVID-19, but are eager to hit the road again.

The North Carolina-based group have also announced remixed/remastered versions of several of their albums, most recently their 2007 album, Colors. There are still remixed/remastered vinyls available for their 2002 debut Between the Buried and Me and 2005’s Alaska on Craft Recording’s website as well.

Photo credit: Raymond Flotat