Berlin, Germany – Berlin based rock band Kadavar has shared the second single from their forthcoming new album I Just Want To Be A Sound out May 16 via Clouds Hill. (Big Picture Media, 2025)

“Hysteria” – with its pulsing, dark rhythm brings the listener into a hypnotic state of mind. Its lyrics explore themes of mental and physical disarray, portraying a sense of confusion, overstimulation, and self-destruction. The repeated refrain of “Hysteria” adds to the overwhelming, frantic atmosphere, spiraling under pressure.

Listen to “Hysteria” here. Pre-order the album at this link.

“We wrote this song down from the feeling of words losing their meaning, when even a stream of consciousness can’t keep up to make sense of the inner chaos,” says the band. “As a state mixed with constant overstimulation and terrifying news, it might just fit this time we’re living in.”

“Hysteria” follows the single “I Just Want To Be A Sound” – the title track of Kadavar’s new album – released last month upon the album’s announcement. The song was added to top playlists with Spotify, Apple, Deezer and TIDAL, gaining traction on lists like Metal Injection’s Top Tracks of the Week, Fresh Noise, New In Rock, Hot New Rock, and more.

‘I Just Want To Be A Sound’ is a manifesto for freedom, transformation and radical presence. An album that repeatedly abandons itself in order to reincarnate in new forms. Rock anthem, ballad, pop song, epic and earthly alternate seamlessly and virtuously. Free and full of momentum.

Now a four-piece led by founders Lupus Lindemann and Tiger Bartelt, and rounded out by guitarist Jascha Kreft and bassist Simon ‘Dragon’ Bouteloup, the declaration “I Just Want To Be A Sound” came from Bouteloup. When Lindemann Bartelt asked him in 2013, shortly after Lindemann and Barlet joined the band, why he didn’t have any social media accounts, he replied: “I just want to be a sound.” A sentence that stuck – and that sums up the band’s self-image.

What was casually formulated at the time has developed into a leitmotif over the band’s 15-year history: an uncompromising claim that demands nothing less than to be completely absorbed in the sound without being distracted by outward appearances. A principle to which Kadavar has remained true since their formation in 2010 and which finds its strongest development to date with this album.

“I Just Want To Be A Sound” is more than a song to us – it’s the essence of Kadavar: A relentless yearning for freedom and the unshakable urge to live through music. We poured everything into it – our lives, our spirit, our truth,” says the band in a joint statement.

Kadavar also announces a string of special album release shows that will take place in London, France and Berlin. Dates and ticket links below:

May 13 – London, UK – Rough Trade East // TICKETS
May 14 – Paris, France – Supersonic // TICKETS
May 15 – Berlin, Germany – Urban Spree, presented by Rough Trade Europe // TICKETS

The band is confirmed for this year’s Austin Psych Fest along with artists like Dinosaur Jr, Explosions In The Sky, Kim Gordon, Yo La Tengo and more. The festival will take place April 25-27 in Austin, TX. Tickets are available online.

Change has always been a constant for Kadavar. What remains unchanged is their raw power. Wherever they go, you can feel the intensity – in their songwriting, their dedication, their performances. In the sound! This is the transfer that makes Kadavar incomparable. They explore the potential of music, even in quiet nuances, while always retaining the power of their rock roots. Having grown as a band, they have fulfilled their mission of being completely immersed in their sound.