Wellington heavy rock band Beastwars have announced their long-awaited fifth studio album, Tyranny of Distance, out Friday, 13th October.

Tyranny of Distance is a collection of songs sharing the common themes of despair, loneliness and existential frustration, plus a song recounting the story of an illicit drug-fueled party, albeit with a twist. Tyranny of Distance is also a covers album spanning 40 years of New Zealand songs. The Gordons, Superette, Snapper, Marlon Williams, Children's Hour, Nadia Reid, Julia Deans and 3Ds all have their songs contorted and distorted, riffs extracted and mutated. These are powerful songs in their own right, but Tyranny of Distance gives them fiery new life to become something distinctly "Beastwars".