Dave Keuning has confirmed on the PlusMusic podcast, as recapped by Alternative Nation, that he is back recording with The Killers on their seventh studio album after being gone from the band for Imploding the Mirage, which came out in August, and only recording half of 2017’s Wonderful Wonderful. Keuning has not played live with the band since 2017, and has basically been out of the band despite his official status being ‘on hiatus.’
The Killers are currently writing new music together, and also sending new song ideas to each other online. Keuning has said the band will use a few of his ideas, and he doesn’t see it as a wild departure from their past material. Keuning is also mixing his second solo album as he also works on his reunion album with The Killers. Last year, Keuning claimed his songs for The Killers ‘fell to the bottom of the pile.’
In the last few years and on Imploding the Mirage, The Killers turned into more of a Brandon Flowers solo project than the band many came to know and love in the 2000’s. With Keuning completely absent, bassist Mark Stoermer was only featured on 6 out of the 10 songs, and actually played guitar on half the album, and only played bass on one song.
Stoermer stopped touring with The Killers in 2016, but did make a guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2019 after a couple of 2017 guest appearances. The Killers’ original lineup has not performed live together since the Vegas Strong show in Las Vegas on December 1, 2017. Since then, Keuning and Stoermer have focused on solo material, and performed live together with The Smashing Pumpkins at a show in New Jersey in summer 2018. The Killers new album is expected to be released in 2021 or 2022.
