The Smashing Pumpkins have reemerged with a brand new song as part of one of the most hyped new films of the year. The alternative rock band has shared “Black Stars, ” a song they wrote to be exact for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (The Album), the soundtrack for the newest Hunger Games movie.
The song is inspired by the darkness of Panem, the fictional society at the centre of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games book series. The dark subject matter of the franchise – of power, survival, rebellion, and the sacrifices of living under the rule of the oppressor – complement alt rock themes.
One of the biggest talking points surrounding “Black Stars” is the return of producer Butch Vig. His collaboration with the Smashing Pumpkins dates back to their early career, including their celebrated 1993 album Siamese Dream, which helped establish the group as a major force in alternative rock.
The new single marks the band’s first recording collaboration with Vig since that influential album. His return creates a connection between the group’s early musical identity and its latest work, more than three decades after their original partnership.
The song was forming while Corgan was recording songs for a potential solo album. When the band was invited to submit a new composition for the Hunger Games soundtrack, Corgan enlisted Vig to contribute to picking a song that fit with the film’s universe.
All recording sessions took place at Chaplin Studios in Los Angeles, with additional recordings in Chicago. This project combines the band’s signature sound with the filmic feel of a major motion picture soundtrack.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is a novel adaptation that is set before the first Hunger Games novel. It depicts a young Haymitch Abernathy as a tribute from District 12 during the 50th Hunger Games.
The new film introduces Joseph Zada as the younger Haymitch, who we got a glimpse of in the earlier films thanks to Woody Harrelson. The prequel delves into the history that would lead Haymitch down a path to finally become part of the grand rebellion against the Capitol.
The film’s music is integral to setting the franchise’s atmosphere, and the new score aims to give the franchise’s world of fiction new possibilities by including original songs by artists of multiple musical genres.
The album is executive produced by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb and includes contributions from 29 artists. Its release is planned for November 13, which is one week before the film’s premiere in cinemas. Noah Kahan has also provided a song for the project, adding another well-known artist to the soundtrack.
The Smashing Pumpkins are a band that originated in Chicago in 1988 and became one of the most prominent alternative rock bands of the 1990s. Their style fuses guitars with heavy distortion, multi-layered sounds, strong melodies and atmospheric effects.
Other albums like Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness played a part in establishing a large worldwide fan base. Throughout the years, the band kept recording and touring and have experimented with different styles.