Rise of the Thunder Moon, the latest release from DC-based experimental rock band Thunderpaw, unfolds as a cosmic odyssey, weaving a narrative of love, loss, and rebirth set against the infinite canvas of space. The 9-track psychedelic concept album launches with the ethereal instrumental “Float Like a Butterfly,” where Kenny Pirog’s incendiary guitar and Andrew Labens’ cosmic synths transport listeners from Earth’s grasp. As drummer Danny Bentley’s rhythms pulse like a heartbeat in the infinite void, bassist and vocalist Robert Tifford wrestles with the vertiginous thrill of weightlessness on “Vertigo.” Love blooms in the lush harmonies of “Feel It,” a duet with guest vocalist Emily Rainy, whose tender voice becomes both muse and memory, offering a brief solace of love and connection amidst the vast unknown.

But love’s warmth turns to anguish as Thunderpaw plunges into the haunting depths of “La Perga,” a visceral confrontation with death itself, ushering in the aching grief of “Fly Away.” The shimmering instrumentation echoes the emptiness of isolation in “Lost in the Stars,” before redemption is found in through the reflection on memories in “Illusions,” only to emerge reborn back to earth in the jubilant, punk-infused Born Again Mix of “Hey Hallelujah.”

The official release coincided with the rise of the Full “Wolf” Moon on January 13, 2025 at 5:27pm EST.