AWOLNATION side project The Barbarians of California announce new album

The Barbarians of California, AWOLNATION frontman Aaron Bruno's hardcore side project, have announced a new album.

The record is called MEGATONS and is due out Aug. 21. It's the sophomore follow-up to the 2024 Barbarians debut, And Now I'm Just Gnashing My Teeth.

"Everyone has heard of the sophomore slump," says Barbarians member Eric Stenman. "Making a second album can be a fraught process full of overthinking and self-doubt. Perhaps, the benefit of us starting this band, at this later point in our lives, relieves some of that pressure. This felt so easy, and is a seamless continuation of whatever we started with the first batch of song — just bigger and better."

MEGATONS includes the previously released songs "VANILLA LATTE," "BOMB TO A KNIFE FIGHT" and "MODERN FASHION." A fourth cut, titled "THE GNARLYCORE CLASS," is out now.

The Barbarians will be opening for two dates on Guns N' Roses upcoming tour in August and September. They're also playing a run of headlining shows in September.

AWOLNATION's most recent album is 2024's The Phantom Five.