For more than ten years, The Neal Morse Band A.K.A. NMB has been one of the tightest groups in the progressive rock scene. Now, they are back with their latest studio album, L.I.F.T., which drops on February 27th, 2026.
The whole crew (Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Eric Gillette, Bill Hubauer, and Randy George) has returned with a record full of passion and inspiration. It was written during a time of big changes, and you can really hear that instinctive chemistry they are known for.
To kick things off, they just released the first single! You can watch the music video for ‘Fully Alive’ (directed by Industrialism Films) right here:
Conceptually, L.I.F.T. stands toe-to-toe with NMB’s heavy hitters, like the acclaimed “Similitude Of A Dream”, blending deep emotion with that signature progressive rock grandeur. Neal Morse explains it best: “In short, L.I.F.T. is a prog concept album that follows the journey of someone seeking to belong to something greater than themselves. It starts with feeling connected to the world and life, then there is a break in belonging, after which comes the turmoil and desperate cry, leading to a return to that place of profound connection.”
The title actually came pretty late in the process, and they kept the meaning vague on purpose. “We thought it could stand for different things,” says Randy George. “It’s kind of whatever the listener wants it to be.”
Sticking to their collaborative vibe, the writing for L.I.F.T. started with the usual whiteboard filled with riffs and ideas under everyone’s names. But surprisingly, not much of that actually made the cut. “We hardly used any of the ideas on the board,” George notes. “Most of it was written right there in the room, more so than in the past.” While Bill Hubauerbrought in some sketches and Morse improvised piano parts that became key themes, a lot of the magic just happened spontaneously.
Longtime collaborator Jerry Guidroz engineered the sessions. They tracked the drums on-site before everyone finished up from their home studios. This was actually a first for NMB—they stepped out of their comfort zone to record at Eric Gillette’s studio in Tulsa. George admits, “It was strange not being in the usual studio. But hearing the final mixes, it all came together beautifully.”
The mix was handled by another longtime friend, Rich Mouser, who has been polishing the band’s sound for years. They trust him enough to just send the files over. “We just let him do his thing,” says George. Even with the massive amount of detail in the music, Mouser nailed a mix where “everything lives.” The drums are a huge standout, with Mouserexperimenting by removing elements “to see what it sounds like if this isn’t there.” The result is another brilliant example of the band’s classic sound.
L.I.F.T. is everything an NMB fan could ask for and is sure to go down as one of the best albums in their history.
With artwork created by longtime collaborator Thomas Ewerhard, the ‘L.I.F.T.’ will be available as a Limited 2CD Digipak (incl. instrumental versions), Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 2LP & as Digital Download.
Pre-order now here: https://nmb.lnk.to/L.I.F.T.-Album
The full track-listing is as follows:
1.Beginning 06:48
2.Fully Alive 05:02
3.I Still Belong 03:32
4.Gravity’s Grip 02:03
5.Hurt People 08:05
6.The Great Withdrawal 05:08
7.Contemplation 02:20
8.Shame About My Shame 05:50
9.Reaching 07:32
10.Carry You Again 05:02
11.Shattered Barricade 01:25
12.Fully Alive Part 2 06:18
13.Love All Along 11:18
THE NEAL MORSE BAND ONLINE:
FACEBOOK • INSTAGRAM • WEBSITE
INSIDEOUT MUSIC online:
WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE • SPOTIFY • US SHOP
