(Photographer – Andy Ford)
Temples On Mars return with new single “Safeword” ahead of upcoming album release.
London-based alternative progressive rock band Temples on Mars are back with their brand-new single Safeword, the latest track from their upcoming full-length album The Last Ship, set for release on 31st October 2025.
“We are over the moon to finally be back with our brand new single Safeword,”the band share. “This is our first release since July 2023 and we are very grateful to be able to return. We have had a lot going on outside of the band with births, family tragedy, illnesses, other projects etc, all on top of the realities of being in a small band in a highly competitive industry so our timeline just kept moving back. Although lyrically the song is about having a safe word to make things stop, the reality is quite the opposite. Coming back with this single is a show of resilience which is very much part of the Temples on Mars DNA. So many times, it would have been a lot easier to just walk away but we have kept grinding. Musically it is a new direction for Temples on Mars and leans towards the electronic side of our sound more so than the heavy.”
Recorded between London and Los Angeles, Safeword was produced by Darren Carikas and James Donaldson, and mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, Nashville.
Speaking on the track’s origins, frontman James Donaldson adds, “Believe it or not the original idea for ‘Safeword’ was a heavy Rammstein-esque riff. I just couldn’t get it to work overall so I left it alone for a while and decided to take it all apart and approach it from a completely different angle which became the Safeword you hear today. At that point in time there were lots of things going on in my life; kind of enough that I wished I had a safe word to make it all stop and just get a breather somewhere comforting and beautiful.”
Buy/stream ‘Safeword’ here: https://tap.bio/@templesonmars
Formed in 2018, Temples on Mars have steadily carved out a name for themselves with their unique blend of progressive heaviness and electronic textures. Their self-titled debut album, released via Primordial Records, garnered international acclaim and led to tours across the UK, Europe, and South Africa. Follow-up EP Parallels V.1 showcased the band’s darker electronic side, further expanding their sonic identity.
With a post-pandemic resurgence on the live circuit, including performances at Download Festival UK and Radar Festival, Temples on Mars are now gearing up for their most ambitious release yet. The forthcoming album—featuring contributions from renowned drummer Josh Freese (Foo Fighters, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ Roses)—continues to push boundaries, highlighting both their accessible hooks and uncompromising heaviness.
Earlier singles “Sleepwalking into Extinction” and “Daydreamer” made waves internationally, breaking into the Radioscope Top 40 Rock Charts in New Zealand, while “Smile” added a grungy existential edge to their repertoire. “Safeword” now marks the next chapter in the band’s evolution—a powerful statement of resilience, reinvention, and forward momentum.
Follow Temples On Mars:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/templesonmars/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temples_on_mars
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/templesonmarstv
Website: https://www.templesonmars.com