Sulfate Releases New Single "Aqui" and Announces Auckland Show Ahead of Oct. 23 Album

Sulfate’s newest single, “Aqui,” drops today, and the band has confirmed a headline set at Auckland’s The Apartment on 6 August, ahead of the full‑length release of And It Wants on 23 October.

The seven‑minute track, distributed by Flying Nun Records, showcases the expanded lineup that now includes bassist Zac Arnold and multi‑instrumentalist Louisa Nicklin. “Aqui” unfolds as a multi‑movement piece that blends distorted vocal drones, post‑punk spikes and avant‑doom crunch, giving the band space to move from reality‑distorting atmospherics to bone‑splintering guitar work.

Lead guitarist and vocalist Peter Ruddell explained the song’s intent: “We dance around the fact that death comes for us all, but we never really, truly, acknowledge it – it’s just too big or heavy to have any kind of impact on our day‑to‑day existence. Aqui is about the desire to delay this inevitability, but in doing so creating an existence so devoid of joy, it’s as if you’re not living at all.” The quote frames the thematic focus of the upcoming album, which Ruddell describes as a “clean slate” after a long break and a shift from elaborate keyboards to a stripped‑down electric guitar approach.

And It Wants was recorded at West Fried Sound with engineer Emily Wheatcroft‑Snape. The album will be released on vinyl in two limited editions: a black and white marble pressing through Flying Nun and a red and black marble pressing from Holiday Records. Pre‑orders for both variants are available on the labels’ websites, and the album is slated for 23 October.

Ruddell also outlined the lineup changes that shaped the new record. “The writing of And It Wants was essentially starting a new band. It was a clean slate after a long break – with two major changes: Zac Arnold joining on bass guitar, and me moving from an overly elaborate keyboard setup to an electric guitar with as few pedals as possible. When starting Wax Chattels, I felt that if I kept the instrumentation simple it would force the band to push the songs further – make the structures and arrangements more interesting – rather than getting trapped in the tone‑zone. I think this had the same effect on And It Wants, where I found we were really digging in – creating intensity through repetition – and where David in particular really stretches out on the drum kit. Zac’s inclusion in the group has had a significant impact on the group as a whole, much in the same way Hariet Ellis impacted Godzone. The way Zac plays bass isn’t like anyone else – he creates walls of noise, which we embraced wholeheartedly on this new record, and his wealth of music knowledge provided great context and guidance as we were in the writing stages.”

The Auckland show will open at 7 pm, with Sulfate taking the stage at 7:45 pm. Tickets are on sale through the UnderTheRadar (UTR) platform, and the venue’s website lists the event details. Updates, links to the new single, and additional information are also posted on the band’s Facebook page and Bandcamp site.

The partnership with Flying Nun and Holiday Records highlights the continued vitality of New Zealand’s independent scene. Flying Nun, founded in 1981, has long championed the Dunedin sound, while Holiday Records, a boutique vinyl pressing plant in Auckland, offers hand‑made, limited‑edition releases. The collaboration enables the band to reach both digital listeners and vinyl collectors, a strategy that has proved effective for other local acts.

“Aqui” is available on all major streaming platforms—Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal—and can be downloaded from the band’s Bandcamp page. With the single already charting on niche streaming charts and the album set for a late‑October release, Sulfate is positioned to sustain its presence on the national live circuit and within the broader noise‑rock community.

The 6 August performance will be the first live showcase of the new material, giving audiences an early glimpse of the album’s direction. Industry observers and listeners alike will be watching closely as the band continues to push the boundaries of New Zealand’s noise‑rock scene.