GUNSHIP have always lived at the intersection of music and cinema, and “Tell Me When The World Stops Ending” pushes that relationship into genuinely ferocious new territory. The new single is out now, written exclusively for legendary filmmaker John Carpenter’s upcoming zombie-slaying action epic video game Toxic Commando, and it’s the most aggressive thing the band has ever released.
Produced by GUNSHIP and mixed by Grammy-nominated Carl Bown, known for his work with Sleep Token, the track opens with a brooding Carpenter-esque synth line dripping with tension before the unmistakable rack of a pump-action shotgun tears through the silence. From there, the band slam into a punishing, high-velocity riff, with verses grinding in a snarling Nine Inch Nails-style industrial menace before the chorus detonates into a massive anthemic hook. Choir Noir contribute cult-like choral incantations across the track’s ominous breakdowns, and a savage mid-section barrage of chain-gun metal riffs closes the deal.
The partnership with Carpenter is a natural one. GUNSHIP’s creative bond with the horror icon and synth maestro stretches back to his appearances on fan-favourite anthems “Tech Noir” and “Tech Noir 2,” and when the call came to contribute to his video game, the answer was immediate. “When John Carpenter calls… you answer!” The band elaborates: “We grew up utterly obsessed with John’s films and his iconic soundtrack work. His artistry has been a constant source of inspiration and continues to shape the music we create as GUNSHIP.”
Beyond the music, developer Saber Interactive, the studio behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and World War Z, invited GUNSHIP to conceive the animated trailer’s concept after revealing they were longtime admirers of the band’s cinematic music videos. The wider Toxic Commando universe also extends into a comic book in association with Dark Horse Comics, a creative alignment that suits a band steeped in graphic-novel culture.
“Tell Me When The World Stops Ending” follows a prolific stretch for GUNSHIP that includes a collaboration and remix with Evanescence, an acclaimed cover of “Mad World” with an Akira-inspired visual, and a feature in Corin Hardy’s horror film “WHISTLE.” The new single cements their place at the crossroads of music, horror, gaming, and cinematic sound more definitively than anything they’ve done before.