Turn Your Attention Skyward with Styx in the Band’s Lyric Video for “Crash of the Crown,” from New LP Out 6/18

On June 18, Styx will add to its robust catalog of music with a new studio album titled Crash of the Crown, the heralded band‘s 17th album to date.

Having previously debuted the title track as a preview of the new material, Styx on Wednesday shared a lyric video for the song — a soaring anthem presented in this new video in a manner that suits its musical ambitions:

Click here to pre-order Crash of the Crown on CD from our Rock Cellar Store
Click here to pre-0rder Crash of the Crown on LP from our Rock Cellar Store

In 2021, Styx is comprised of James “JY” Young (lead vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars), Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals), Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion), Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals, keyboards) and Ricky Phillips (bass, guitar, vocals).

“Crash of the Crown” — the song — is a first in the vaunted history of Styx. Per a news release:

It’s the first cut in the band’s storied canon to feature three lead vocalists, seeing how it has James “JY” Young unleashed at the starting gate, Tommy Shaw heading up the heroic stacked-vocal middle section, and Lawrence Gowan leading the vocal charge for the final verse.

“I’m always looking for the one different thing we can do and still have it be STYX,” the ever-ebullient Gowan notes, “and that’s the song I’m most proud of. The beauty of it is that it’s the culmination of all our talents crammed together into one song, ABBEY ROAD-style. I also got to use some gear I never thought I’d have the chance to play on a STYX record like Tommy’s Hammond B3 organ, my Minimoog, and my Mellotron.”

Heavy themes are covered throughout Crash of the Crown, prompting this statement from band leader Tommy Shaw:

“We’ve never been a protest band. We’re more like a gospel caravan trying to send out positive messages wherever we go. In order to share those positive messages, you have to look at what the problems are first to figure out all the ways you can help make sure everything’s going to be alright. That’s a very important part of how we do what we do.”

As previously detailed, Styx will hit the road beginning in June for a tour with Collective Soul, which now also doubles as a promotional outing in support of Crash of the Crown. The dates:

Wed 6/16 St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre (STYX only)
Fri 6/18 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Sat 6/19 Southaven, MS Landers Center
Sun 6/20 Brandon, MS Brandon Amphitheatre
Tue 6/22 Louisville, KY Waterfront Park
Thu 6/24 Lincoln, NE Pinewood Bowl Amphitheatre
Fri 6/25 Bonner Springs, KS Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre
Sat 6/26 Camdenton, MO Ozarks Amphitheater
Sun 6/27 Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheatre
Fri 9/24 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre (STYX only)
Sat 9/25 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre (STYX only)
Sun 9/26 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian Theatre (STYX only)
Sun 10/24 Helotes, TX John T. Moore’s (STYX only)