Eric Church’s new song “Darkest Hour” will blow your mind: listen

Eric Church is officially working on new music. At midnight on Friday, he surprise-released the first taste of “Darkest Hour,” a majestic pledge of devotion to helping loved ones in need. In this case, the North Carolina native means that literally. According to a press release, Church has transferred all royalties on the song to his home state indefinitely in light of the deadly, devastating flooding in western North Carolina.

“I’ve been in the studio for a while, trying different things and exploring creativity. I had written this song and the phrase that stood out to me in the face of the recent devastation was “I’m coming running,” because there are a lot of people out there right now who are in their darkest hour and they’re “I need people running.” come,” he said in a statement. “We wanted to wait until next year to release the music, but it just didn’t feel right to wait for this song. Sometimes you give the songs their moment and sometimes they find their own moment.”

As a piece of music, “Darkest Hour” heralds a new era for Church. It features strings, a choir and production from long-time collaborator Jay Joyce that will blow listeners away. The song is reminiscent of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the band and the symphonic compositions of Queen or, more recently, The Verve. It’s a ’70s rock opera crossed with Church’s rugged mountain country, all built on the framework of his much-talked about Stagecoach headlining set.

Most notably, Church sings in falsetto, which he memorably used in 2015’s “Chattanooga Lucy.” Mr. Misunderstood. “Baby, don’t give up,” he sings on “Darkest Hour,” his first solo release since 2021 Heart & soul“I will do everything in my power/To take even one minute away from your darkest hour.”

“’Darkest Hour’ is a song dedicated to the unsung heroes, the people who show up when the world falls apart. This is for the people who show up in the most difficult times, offer a hand when it’s needed most, and stand firm when others can’t. Even in your darkest hour they come running. When the night is blackest, it is for those who hold the light, guide the lost and carry us forward,” Church said.

“The song’s message specifically during this time is about Hurricane Helene and the people who need help, but more broadly it’s about all the challenging times in our lives that we will all experience,” he continued. “And it is always important to know that in the darkest hour there are people who rush in, people who help.”