Kings of Leon have returned with their first new music in five years with the release of two songs.

“The Bandit” follows the group’s penchant for soaring vocals backed by driving rhythms. The familiar wail of frontman Caleb Followill breaks through on the chorus, as the singer croons “Must catch the bandit / Reckless abandon / Rundown and stranded / Must catch the bandit.”

An accompanying music video features all four band members - Caleb, along with brothers Jared (bass), Nathan (drums) and cousin Matthew (guitar) - performing on a sparse sound stage. The clip, shot largely in black and white with various moments of color interspersed throughout, was helmed by Casey McGrath, who was previously nominated for a Grammy for his work on the band’s documentary Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon.

“The Bandit” is the first official single from When You See Yourself, the band’s forthcoming album due out March 5. The LP follow's 2016's WALLS, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

A second song from When You See Yourself, “100,000 People” has also been unveiled. The tune offers a slow burning sound that builds to an expansive chorus, featuring swirling synths and engaging percussion.

Hear both of Kings of Leon’s new songs and see the artwork and complete track list for When You See Yourself below.

Kings of Leon had been teasing new material in the past few weeks, posting clips of songs to their various social media accounts. In a Christmas Day tweet, Jared Followill noted the long delay between his band's albums and asked fans for forgiveness.

“Blame it on the holiday ‘cheer’, but I just feel like sharing," the bassist began. "Kings of Leon tweeted ‘the w8 is nearly over’ TEN MONTHS ago. Enough. If you were promised new Kings music in 2 weeks, would you forgive us? Could you?”

In conjunction with their new music, the band has also unveiled new merchandise on their website. Proceeds will go to Live Nation’s Crew Nation, a relief fund set up to help live music professionals struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Kings of Leon, ‘When You See Yourself’ Track List

1. "When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away"
2. "The Bandit"
3. "100,000 People"
4. "Stormy Weather"
5. "A Wave"
6. "Golden Restless Age"
7. "Time in Disguise"
8. "Supermarket"
9. "Claire & Eddie"
10. "Echoing"
11. "Fairytale"

 

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