PetroDragonic Apocalypse

On March 4, 2023 the band debuted the song "Gila Monster" during their performance in Tilburg, Netherlands. Later that month, on March 12, 2023, they posted a video on their social media with the caption "New album locked and JOEDED," featuring a clip from what was presumed to be a new song.{{Cite web |title=kinggizzard on Instagram: "New album locked and JOEDED" |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cpsxfu_oibx/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |via=Instagram |language=en}} On May 7, 2023, they announced the album and artwork, which was described by the band as "a vivid, fiery painting of a lizard-like monster in an industrial, apocalyptic landscape."{{Cite web |last=Pearis |first=Bill|date=2023-05-08 |title=King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard announce new album with a very long title |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-announce-new-album-with-a-very-long-title/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=BrooklynVegan |language=en}} They called the music "heavy as fuck" and announced that pre-orders were starting on May 16.{{Cite web |last=Kress |first=Bryan |date=2023-05-07 |title=King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Announce New Album PetroDragonic Apocalypse |url=https://consequence.net/2023/05/king-gizzard-and-the-lizard-wizard-petrodragonic-apocalypse/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}

Alongside the pre-orders, on May 16, 2023, the band released the lead single "Gila Monster" with an accompanying music video{{Citation |title=King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Gila Monster |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQX2CsMCB9M |access-date=2023-06-05 |language=en}} and announced that the release date for the album would be June 16, 2023.{{Cite magazine |last=Shanfeld |first=Ethan |date=2023-05-16 |title=King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Returns to Thrash Metal With Ridiculously Titled New Album |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/king-gizzard-lizard-wizard-new-album-metal-1235613559/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |magazine=Variety |language=en-US}} Many critics noted the track was a return to the thrash metal of Infest the Rats' Nest, and despite that album being labeled as a "one-off experiment", the band "have heard the siren call of metal in the wind."

On May 28, 2023, the band debuted the song "Converge" during the Boston Calling Music Festival. "Converge" was first released on the compilation Demos Vol. 3 + Vol. 4 under the title "Uncolonise".{{Cite web |date=2023-05-29 |title=King Gizzard Debut "Converge" At Boston Calling 2023: Watch |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2225203/watch-king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-play-converge-live-for-the-first-time-at-boston-calling/news/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} "Converge," "Supercell," and "Witchcraft" were played live in full ahead of the album's release, and "Motor Spirit" was played partially ahead of the album's release. The second single, "Dragon," was released on June 6, 2023, alongside a music video directed by Jason Galea.{{cite web |title=King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Dragon | website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpUKO-WKaqo |access-date=2023-06-05 |language=en}}

On June 8, 2023, the band played the album in full as intermission music between their two sets at Red Rocks.

Many people have noted and even called it a follow up to the band's thrash metal album Infest the Rats' Nest.{{who|date=June 2023}} Stu Mackenzie has talked about this similarity, stating:

"When we made Rats' Nest, it felt experimental. Like, 'Here's this music that some of us grew up on but we'd never had the guts or confidence to really play before, so let's give it a go and see what happens.' And when we made that album, we were like, 'Fuck, why did it take us so long to do this?' It's just so much fun to play that music, and those songs work so well when we play them live. So we always had it in our minds to make another metal record."{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Carys |date=2023-05-16 |title=King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard detail new album PetroDragonic Apocalypse, share "Gila Monster" |url=https://consequence.net/2023/05/king-gizzard-and-the-lizard-wizard-petrodragonic-apocalypse-gila-monster-stream/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}

The recording was similarly done to the band's album, Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava, where the band wrote a song a day with "no riffs, no tunes, no ideas, and started from scratch." Mackenzie explained how the band would put the songs together using the jams, which were all recorded. He also stated that for the lyrics and concept:

"I'd sketched out the story the songs would tell, and I'd portioned it out into seven song titles, with a short paragraph of what would happen in the song. I guess we kind of made the record backwards."

The lead single (and first track performed live) "Gila Monster" has been described by critics as having "four-plus minutes of thrash-infused riffage and gang vocals" with the guitar solo in the last minute described as having "bleak, impossibly heavy shredding." The music video was directed by SPOD, who "wanted to shoot Lord of the Rings 4 but also make a video game, so I mixed both mediums and came up with this majestic journey for truth and power in a cursed world. I mixed 3D animation, modeling & live footage in a 3D video game program to create this marvelous voyage of man & beast. Friend or foe?"

"Dragon" was released as the album's second single. It has been described as balancing their affinity for metal with their "gonzo psych weirdness."{{Cite web |last=Hadusek |first=Jon |date=2023-06-09 |title=Heavy Song of the Week: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard go metal once again on "Dragon" |url=https://consequence.net/2023/06/king-gizzard-and-the-lizard-wizard-dragon-heavy-song-of-the-week/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}} According to Galea:

"Over the last two months, I dusted off my music video computer to slay the 10-minute "Dragon." I wanted to explore a harsh, distorted visual palette using my live visual setup mixed with PS1 cutscene-inspired animation and studio footage I filmed of the band. The animation was created using Cinema 4D and processed through After Effects and a Tachyons circuit-bent video unit."{{Cite web |date=2023-06-06 |title=King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Share New Song "Dragon": Listen |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2226070/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-dragon/music/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}

The album also contains a 14-minute bonus track, "Dawn of Eternal Night," featuring Leah Senior, available exclusively on vinyl. The style of Senior's calm narration over background sounds performed by the band is reminiscent of the interludes featured in the group's earlier album, Murder of the Universe.

{{Music ratings

| MC = 76/100{{Cite web |title=PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Reviews and Tracks |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/petrodragonic-apocalypse-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard |access-date=17 June 2023 |publisher=Metacritic}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Sendra |first=Tim |title=King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation Album Reviews, Songs & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/petrodragonic-apocalypse-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-of-merciless-damnation-mw0004013598 |access-date=16 June 2023 |website=AllMusic}}

| rev2 = Classic Rock

| rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Jones|first=Damian|date=16 June 2023 |title=King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse album review |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/king-gizzard-and-the-lizard-wizard-petrodragonic-apocalypse-review |access-date=16 June 2023 |website=Classic Rock}}

| rev3 = Exclaim!

| rev3score = 8/10{{cite web |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/king_gizzard_and_the_lizard_wizard_petrodragonic_apocalypse_album_review |website=Exclaim! |date=13 June 2023 |accessdate=16 June 2023 |title=King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Deal in Black Magic and Black Comedy on 'PetroDragonic Apocalypse' |last=Glasgow |first=Isabel }}

| rev4 = Loud and Quiet

| rev4score = 7/10{{Cite web |title=King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – PetroDragonic Apocalypse |url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/reviews/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-petrodragonic-apocalypse/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Loud and Quiet |language=en-US}}

| rev5 = Pitchfork

| rev5score = 5.4/10{{Cite web |last=Arroyo |first=Steve |date=23 June 2023 |title=King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/king-gizzard-and-the-lizard-wizard-petrodragonic-apocalypse-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-of-merciless-damnation/ |access-date=29 June 2023 |website=Pitchfork}}

| rev6 = Riff Magazine

| rev6score = 8/10{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=Album Review: King Gizzard shred on PetroDragonic Apocalypse |url=https://riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-petrodragonic-apocalypse-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-of-merciless-damnation/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Riff Magazine |language=en-US}}

| rev7 = Sputnikmusic

| rev7score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite web |author=YoYoMancuso |date=16 June 2023 |title=Review: King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of... |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/87118/King-Gizzard-and-The-Lizard-Wizard-PetroDragonic-Apocalypse%3B-or-Dawn-of-Eternal-Night-An-Annihilation-of.../ |access-date=17 June 2023 |publisher=Sputnikmusic}}

}}

{{Metacritic album prose|PetroDragonic Apocalypse|positive|76|7}}{{Citation |title=PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/petrodragonic-apocalypse-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard |access-date=2023-06-20 |language=en}} A four-out-of-five-star review in AllMusic commended the performances, compositions, and lyrical themes on the album, concluding: "The stricter members of the metal community might see King Gizzard as interlopers with no real metal cred, but after Rats Nest and now this thrillingly massive album, there's no reason the band shouldn't be considered one of the best practitioners of the genre around."{{Citation |title=King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/petrodragonic-apocalypse-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-of-merciless-damnation-mw0004013598 |access-date=2023-06-20 |language=en}}

Vinyl releases have tracks 1–2 on side A, 3–5 on side B, 6–7 on side C, and 8 on side D.

{{Track listing

| headline = PetroDragonic Apocalypse track listing

| all_lyrics = Stu Mackenzie, Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Joey Walker, Cook Craig, and Lucas Harwood.

| title1 = Motor Spirit

| music1 = {{hlist|Mackenzie|Walker|Cavanagh|Craig|Kenny-Smith|Harwood}}

| length1 = 8:33

| title2 = Supercell

| music2 = {{hlist|Mackenzie|Walker|Cavanagh|Craig|Kenny-Smith|Harwood}}

| length2 = 5:06

| title3 = Converge

| music3 = {{hlist|Mackenzie|Walker|Cavanagh|Craig|Kenny-Smith|Harwood}}

| length3 = 6:16

| title4 = Witchcraft

| music4 = {{hlist|Mackenzie|Walker|Cavanagh|Craig}}

| length4 = 5:04

| title5 = Gila Monster

| music5 = {{hlist|Mackenzie|Walker|Cavanagh|Craig|Kenny-Smith}}

| length5 = 4:36

| title6 = Dragon

| music6 = {{hlist|Mackenzie|Walker|Cavanagh|Craig|Kenny-Smith}}

| length6 = 9:45

| title7 = Flamethrower

| music7 = {{hlist|Mackenzie|Walker|Cavanagh|Craig|Kenny-Smith}}

| length7 = 9:21

| total_length = 48:41

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Vinyl-exclusive bonus track

| title8 = Dawn of Eternal Night

| note8 = featuring Leah Senior

| writer8 = Mackenzie

| length8 = 14:22

| total_length = 63:03

}}

Musicians

• Stu Mackenzie – guitars, bass, vocals, synthesizer on "Flamethrower" and "Dawn of Eternal Night"
• Ambrose Kenny-Smith – vocals, synthesizer on "Flamethrower"
• Joey Walker – guitars, bass, vocals, synthesizer on "Flamethrower"
• Michael Cavanagh – drums, percussion, vocals, electronic drum kit on "Flamethrower"
• Cook Craig – bass, vocals, synthesizer on "Flamethrower"
• Lucas Harwood – synthesizer on "Flamethrower"

Additional musicians

• Leah Senior – spoken word on "Dawn of Eternal Night"

Technical

• Stu Mackenzie – production, recording engineer, mixing
• Joey Walker – recording engineer, mixing
• Jesse Williams – recording engineer
• Nico Wilson – recording engineer
• Joe Carra – mastering

Artwork

• Jason Galea – artwork, layout, photography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:PetroDragonic Apocalypse (King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard album)}}

Category:2023 albums

Category:King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard albums

Category:Song cycles

Category:Thrash metal albums by Australian artists

Category:Progressive metal albums by Australian artists

Category:2020s concept albums

Category:Dragons in popular culture