Even for a band that has always advised their fans to expect the unexpected, no one could have foreseen “one of the band’s most enduring albums” (Powerplay UK) - after 38 years in the game - but here we are.
Their first single “RISE” features “the greatest guitar riff of all time” (Extreme Guitar, France) and hovers at an unstoppable and unpredictable ‘where-will-it-end?’ 3 million views, backed up by praise from Nuno Bettencourt’s peers Brian May, Tom Morello, Justin Hawkins, Rick Beato… the list goes on.
Follow-up singles “BANSHEE” and “#REBEL” (each also with well over one million views) astound and resound with equal impact amongst the fans. Lead singer Gary Cherone “raised the bar on himself” with these vocals, according to Nuno.
“It bangs,” says Eclipsed (Germany) of “SIX”, but fourth single “Other Side of The Rainbow” proves that the album also does so much more. Tackling a timeless subject (“Restoring someone’s faith in love” – Gary), Nuno answers the musical question, “How do you play a blistering solo, making it sound like a rainbow?”
“Every once in a while, we’ll harness some kind of magic, and I think we did on this one,” says Gary as "Other Side of the Rainbow” joins the ranks of “More Than Words,” “Hole Hearted,” and “Seven Sundays” as one of EXTREME’S most soulful journeys into the depths of the human heart.
Now, focus track “Thicker Than Blood” greets the release of “SIX” ahead of their tour of the same name which will see EXTREME cross the US and visit Europe and the UK with soulmates Living Colour. “Transcending space and time/ boundary or borderline/ No nationality/ tribe or ethnicity,” the song is an appeal for unity, an embrace of diversity, a bit rock, a bit funk, a slow burn, yet direct and hard-hitting.
“SIX” is the sum of all this and more and heralds the true return of the rock album.
“I feel like we need a good old school rock album. SIX is definitely modern, but you can put on headphones and go on a journey from top-to-bottom. It’s like ‘EXTREME 2.0’.” – Nuno Bettencourt
Preorder and stream “SIX” HERE.
EXTREME will be performing live in Melkweg Max on Tuesday December 12th