Francis Dunnery's It Bites will release new studio album Return To Natural early next year

 Francis Dunnery.
Francis Dunnery.
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Francis Dunnery's new-look It Bites, billed as It Bites FD, have announced that they will release their new studio album, Return To Natural, early next year.

The new album will be ready for the band's customary January live dates and a vinyl version will be released on March 24.

Dunnery has unveiled a new-look band that features legendary drummer Chad Wackerman, bassiist Paul Brown, keyboard player Tony Turrell and atmospherics from Dave McCracken. They are currently ensconced at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth working on the new album.

"Whilst this is not a copy of the first three It Bites albums, it delivers all the musicality and melodic qualities that everyone remembers of the band and much, much more. A whole new era in It Bites music," says Dunnery.

The new album is being "recorded, mixed and mastered using 24 track analogue and mixed and mastered to quarter inch analogue tape. No Plug ins, No Software Instruments, no digital manipulation with timing or tuning and real live rehearsed recordings, remember them?

"There will be a vinyl version of the album coming in March 2024 that will not touch the digital arena, which makes Return To Natural a true, pure analogue recording. The CD version and digital download versions of the music is produced from the analogue quarter inch master."

Dunnery recently released Live From The Black Country on Blu-ray and CD through Tigermoth Records, with a band that featured Maschine/Cyan guitarist Luke Machin, Camel/Tiger Moth Tales's Peter Jones, drummer Bjorn Fryklund, bassist Paul Brown and Quint Starkie on triggers and backing vocals.

The live dates, which you can see below, include a warm-up show at Oswestry's Hermon Arts on January 17, will see the band play London, Wolverhampton and Manchester. Support at London, Wolverhamtpon and Manchester comes from Lifesign's mainman John Young.

Pre-order Return To Natural.

It Bites FD Return To Natural live dates

Jan 18: Oswestry Hermon Arts
Jan 19: London Islington Assembly
Jan 20: Wolverhampton KK's Steel Mill
Jan 21: Manchester Academy 2

Get tickets.