Norwegian stoner-punk rockers Bokassa return with a bang on ferocious new single “Cop Out,” a no-nonsense barnburner set to please fans of the band’s heavier side.
The track sees the power trio firing on all cylinders, leaning into their metallic hardcore roots with a dash of thrash metal. “Cop Out” is an unapologetic blast inspired by everything from protest songs with lyrics so broad they could apply to anyone, to bands that probably should have called it quits years ago but are still squeezing money out of their fans.
“It’s about quitting while you’re ahead, before you become something you despise. Before you start doing expensive VIP meet & greets, before you write lyrics that are just empty buzzwords, before you start doing TikTok dance videos to sell more tickets. I don’t wanna spend my time coming up with new ways to get views on social media when I know there are still different pizzas out there I haven’t tried yet,” says vocalist Jørn Kaarstad.
Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why, in 2026, Bokassa are releasing music through their own label, Kings of Stonerpunk Records, under which they’ve released several titles over the years, including their universally acclaimed 2017 debut, Divide & Conquer.
Alongside the new single, Bokassa also announce their fifth album, Anomalies, a fitting title for a band that has never quite fit in anywhere.
The band’s relentless collision of punk, metal and rock subgenres into their own self-styled stonerpunk has seen them tour with acts as diverse as Clutch, Lagwagon, Therapy?, Zebrahead and Mastodon. That same refusal to stick to a single genre has always made Bokassa difficult to pigeonhole. In a world where bands are often rewarded for sounding like other bands people already love, Bokassa mostly sound like themselves.
“I don’t wanna be a ‘we got McDonald’s at home’ version of an older, better band. I see bands becoming universally acclaimed for that, and it’s probably smart to do so for commercial success, but then again, we’ve never been a band known for smart decisions. So we’ll stick to what we think is exciting,” says Kaarstad.
Anomalies will arrive in March 2027, accompanied by an extensive tour across Europe, the UK and the band’s native Norway.
The follow-up to 2024’s critically acclaimed All Out of Dreams was produced by two-time Grammy Award winner Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Muse, The Darkness) and mastered by George Perks (Enter Shikari, Skindred).
Bokassa’s love of mixing genres has always placed them a little off the beaten track, making Anomalies a natural title for the new record.
“We’ve never really fit in with anyone, so we kinda just evolved into our own little entity. It’s become a ‘those who get it, get it’ kinda thing, and I’ve seen fans bond at shows over their shared love of our band, which is really cool,” says Kaarstad.
Every song on the band’s fifth album further showcases Bokassa’s diversity. The power trio seamlessly moves between groove metal, desert rock, Scandirock, death metal, hardcore punk, hard rock and power pop, while maintaining their unmistakable sound and knack for earworms.
The album’s title also reflects Bokassa’s unusual origin story, one that was far from traditional.
“We didn’t have a booking agency, label, manager or any contacts, and suddenly we were playing the world’s biggest stages. The way the music industry works in Norway — or the rest of the world, for that matter — we shouldn’t have had a chance. So as far as I’m concerned, we’ve always been an anomaly,” says Kaarstad.
Anomalies will be released on March 12, 2027, and will be available to pre-order on limited-edition vinyl and CD. Pre-orders are now available here: https://orcd.co/copout
Catch Bokassa live across Norway, the UK and Europe on the following dates:
March 12 – Kulturhuset i Bergen – Bergen, NO
March 13 – Blårock – Tromsø, NO
March 20 – Rockefeller – Oslo, NO
April 2 – Kafé Krank – Kristiansand, NO
April 3 – Folken – Stavanger, NO
April 9 – Byscenen – Trondheim, NO
April 16 – The Cobblestones – Bridgwater, UK
April 17 – The Black Heart – London, UK
April 18 – The Old Salutation – Nottingham, UK
April 19 – The Lodge – Manchester, UK
April 20 – The Joiners – Southampton, UK
May 6 – Monument 013 – Gothenburg, SE
May 7 – Stengade – Copenhagen, DK
May 8 – Betty – Hamburg, DE
May 9 – FRANNZ CLUB – Berlin, DE
May 11 – Nachtleben – Frankfurt, DE
May 12 – Luxor Live – Arnhem, NL
May 13 – DB’s – Utrecht, NL
May 15 – Antwerp Metal Fest – Antwerp, BE
Check out Bokassa here:
https://www.bokassaband.com
https://www.lo-fi-merchandise.com/collections/bokassa
https://bokassaband.bandcamp.com
Bokassa Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/bokassaband
https://www.facebook.com/BokassaBand
