Foo Fighters' new HBO series Sonic Highways and the accompanying new album are right around the corner and in anticipation of the premiere date, today (Oct. 16), Dave Grohl and co. released the record's lead single, the crawling "Something From Nothing."
Hardcore fans of Foo Fighters will find certain aspects of "Something From Nothing" comfortably familiar. The burning, sliding guitar riff in the first verse has been used frequently in trailers for Sonic Highways. But soon, the track takes a swift left turn into funk and heavy metal territory with a guitar riff straight out of Black Sabbath's playbook.
Like the best rousing Foo Fighters singles ("The Pretender," "Best of You"), "Something From Nothing" is all about the buildup. Before going into the hook-filled rolling funk territory at the two-minute mark, the song begins quietly. A haunting duet of guitars bop between two notes as Grohl whispers into the microphone. There comes in that sliding guitar and a bit more volume.
But before you know it, "Something From Nothing" explodes into a flurry of pure rock 'n' roll. With each passing minute of the nearly five-minute song, the Foos gear up for battle, with increasing volume, intensity and anger.
By the end of the song, Grohl is in full-on blast off mode. "I'm something from nothing / You are my fuse / It goes oh, oh, oh," he screams near the song's end. And then he lets out a yell so intense it sends chills down your spine.
The buildup and eventual destruction of your speaker system should be no surprise from this single: it was recorded for Sonic Highways in Chicago with legendary record producer Steve Albini, who previously worked with Grohl during his time in Nirvana.
"Something From Nothing" is a powerful lead single, not equipped for the world of pop radio. But Sonic Highways is all about American rock, and this song is nothing but that.
Listen to the new Foo Fighters' single "Something From Nothing" below:
Foo Fighters' new album Sonic Highways will be released Nov. 10.
