Dark Matter is the twelfth studio album by Pearl Jam. It was released on April 19, 2024, through Monkeywrench Records and Republic Records.
Dark Matter was recorded over three weeks in 2023 at Shangri-La in Malibu, California and, according to a press release, “channels the shared spirit of a group of lifelong creative confidants and brothers in one room playing as if their very lives depended on it”. On November 29, 2023, drummer Matt Cameron revealed that they finished a record with assistance from Andrew Watt and that it was “mastered, mixed, ready to go” at the time. On January 5, 2024, guitarist Mike McCready described the album as “a lot heavier” than one might expect, saying that recording was less time-consuming than for their previous record Gigaton, mostly thanks to the involvement from Watt, who was said to have “kicked” their “asses”. Later that month, on January 31, the band and Watt debuted Dark Matter in front of a group of fans at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California, without revealing lyrics or song titles. During the event, Eddie Vedder opined that this is their best work to date and how he could not be prouder of the band. On February 13, Pearl Jam announced the album alongside the release of the eponymous lead single.
Tracklist:
- Scared of Fear
- React, Respond
- Wreckage
- Dark Matter
- Won’t Tell
- Upper Hand
- Waiting for Stevie
- Running
- Something Special
- Got to Give
- Setting Sun
Pearl Jam
Eddie Vedder: lead vocals; guitar
Mike McCready: lead guitar
Stone Gossard: rhythm guitar
Jeff Ament: bass guitar
Matt Cameron: drums
Studio Personnel
Producer: Andrew Watt
Mixer: Serban Ghenea
Mix Engineer: Bryce Bordone
Mastering Engineer: Matt Colton
Recording Engineer: Paul LaMalfa
Recording Engineer: Marco Sonzini
Additional Engineer: John Burton
Asst. Recording Engineer: Gregg White
Asst. Recording Engineer: Tommy Turner
Production Coordinator: Chelsea Fodero