Dierks Bentley is looking to tell the story of his romantic life, and he's doing it the best way he knows how: through a new album. On Monday (Jan. 11), the "Drunk on a Plane" singer announced the release of his eighth studio album, Black. Though details like a release date, artwork or tracklist have yet to be revealed, Bentley has shared the intent behind his Riser follow-up.
According to a press release, Bentley is going to explore every aspect of a relationship, from loneliness to broken heart to true love to long-term monogamy and everything in between.
"It's a relationship album. And to do it right, I had to dig deep as a writer, dig into the Nashville songwriting community, and record songs that explore the shadows and edges of the heart. The songs on Black range from the lonesomeness of an impossible relationship to ones that describe the feeling of finding that person that makes you forget the one that broke your heart," Bentley said in a statement.
And though the album title may be dark and mysterious, there's a further meaning to it. Black is the maiden name of Bentley's wife of 10 years, Cassidy Black.
"There's a realness to the concept, the songs, the process and the production," he explained. "And the title... Black is mysterious and sexy and has an edge that describes the sounds we were going for. A lot of it happens after dark, in the black of night. It's personal too... Black is my wife's maiden name."
Though there are no further details surrounding Black beyond an "early 2016" release date, Bentley accompanied his album announcement with a teaser trailer. Featuring drippy guitars and poppy beats that are intense yet light, Bentley seems like he'll rely on his country-soaked vocals to make this album Nashville-worthy.
Black will be Bentley's eighth studio album. His last LP, Riser, was released in February 2014.
