Queens of the Stone Age have more new music on the way. The announcement for the hard rock band’s ninth studio album was released this week, with the hard rock legends also sharing the title. Fans now have Perfecth to look forward to later this year, per Louder.
The news follows the band’s July 14 release of “Easy Street,” a track that represents the band’s first piece of new music in three years. Surprisingly mellow, the song forgoes the heavy, hard-hitting stoner rock riffs QOTSA are known for and instead gives fans a spacey, starry-eyed psychedelic track to zone out to.
But the announcement wasn’t your everyday press release from the eight-time Grammy nominated group. Instead, frontman Josh Homme and guitarist-slash-keyboardist Dean Fertita confirmed the moniker of their new album while playing one of the oldest, most notorious games in the book: the five-finger fillet.
Also known as the knife game, the exercise in speed and coordination sees a player place their palm flat on a table with their fingers spread wide. Then, with a sharp knife, they rapidly stab back and forth into the empty spaces between their fingers. The goal is to move as quickly as possible in a set pattern without filleting any little digits.
In their announcement video posted to Instagram, fans can watch Fertita master the game while Homme sinks a knife deep into his flesh.
“Does it hurt?” Fertita asks.
“Yes, it f—ing hurts, dude,” Homme says. “Pull it out. “I can’t do it.”
Homme eventually removes the blade, leaving behind a geyser of blood.
QOTSA formed in 1996, with singer and guitarist Homme launching the band as Gamma Ray. He changed the name a year later. Since their founding, they have released eight studio albums, debuting with their self-titled record in 1998.
The debut introduced the band’s raw, heavy, hypnotic vibe, with key songs “Regular John,” “Mexicola,” and “If Only” becoming fan favorites.
In 2002, they released Songs for the Deaf. Widely considered their masterpiece album and commercial peak, it features Nirvana/Foo Fighters drummer Dave Grohl and singer Mark Lanegan. Standout tracks include “No One Knows,” “Go With the Flow,” and “Millionaire.”
Perfecth follows QOTSA’s last album, 2023’s In Times New Roman…, which marked a back-to-basics return to the band’s gritty and sinister desert rock roots. The record also served as the final chapter in a trilogy of Matador Records releases, beginning with …Like Clockwork in 2013 and Villains in 2017.
QOTSA are currently touring North America with Foo Fighters, with additional dates scheduled for September. The band will then head to Australia and New Zealand in December, where Primus and Tropical F— Storm are also on the bill.
This story was originally published by Parade on Aug 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.