Emigrate. The one-time project has become more than that. Much more. The three studio albums, EMIGRATE (2007), SILENT SO LONG (2014) and A MILLION DEGREES (2018), prove that squarely behind Emigrate stands Richard Zven Kruspe ? an extremely creative mind who needs the freedom to explore his music and his vision in ways outside of Rammstein. With Emigrate there are no limits, no barriers. Everything is possible, nothing held back, and it's this ethos that underlines THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY, the new studio album, set for release on November 5th. THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY is a special jewel indeed, with the nine featured songs bringing together ideas that Richard has collected across the last two decades. Industrial Rock, Rock with electronic elements, however you choose to describe it, there's no question that the songs here always contain a strong sense of melody, as rousing as they are deep. At one stage, it seemed that the tracks might be part of a bigger project ? a vinyl box set of the first three albums with an additional LP included. On this bonus LP would be a selection of unreleased songs dating from 2001 right through to 2018. In the end, however, this material was considered too precious to sit beneath the 'bonus' heading, so THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY was born... Richard reacquainted himself with his hard drives, coming across ideas, songs and lyrics that deserved to be brought into the light, material too good to remain in the archives. He threw himself fully into the task at hand, as he always does, working on the basis that "A good idea remains a good idea", and if he felt that there was more to be gained he was open to taking another look at the arrangements and the lyrics; new parts were also recorded here an' there, after which the entire mix was given a fresh polish, ensuring that the nine songs have a contemporary yet timeless coat of paint. This time, Richard tried to keep things as simple as possible, allowing the creativity to flow, keeping his sights firmly set on pure, raw Emigrate songs. Says Richard: "These songs were created at a certain point in my life, but ideas don't have an expiration date. Sounds, lyrics and themes, on the other hand, do." "Freeze My Mind", for example, is one of the first Emigrate songs ever written, going right back to 2001. Now, 20 years later, it sounds fresh, of the moment, yet Emigrate through & through, something that is true of the album as a whole. Some of the elements are forged in a familiar heat, but these are married to new ways of working, new influences and challenges. There is real desire here, real motivation and depth, and Richard clearly enjoyed delving back into his personal history to create something new. When it comes to the cover artwork, Richard playfully mouths the word "megalomania"! As with the debut and A MILLION DEGREES, we see Richard's head taking pride of place ? this time detached, floating alone, surrounded by a field of stars as he looks to the heavens. A symbol of the universal that plays such a big role in THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY. "It's about creating worlds and looking at things from a different perspective," reflects Richard. THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY is primarily a Kruspe incarnation, but Emigrate functions on team spirit as well. Captain Kruspe thrives on the input of others, diverse opinions, points of friction... "That's essential for me to move forward. A vacuum would be stagnation," he says of the collaboration with his team-mates. The exchange of ideas brings him fresh impulses, an important elixir for a musician who is open to the world and still willing to take risks. The intensive work with new Emigrate keyboardist Andrea Marino, who also operates as a DJ in his native Italy, reignited Richard's love for electronic music, and he's already thinking beyond the release of THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY... "Maybe this new album will represent some kind of closure for me, helping me push aside an era and open new doors." So could there