Interview: Sulfate's New Album 'And It Wants'

A sonically uncompromising, genre-obliterating six track statement in Aotearoa noise-rock / post-punk / avant-metal, Sulfate's third studio album And It Wants is out today via Flying Nun Records and Holiday Records. Helmed by Peter Ruddell (Wax Chattels) with drummer David Harris (Princess Chelsea) and new recruits Zac Arnold (Sere, Sunreturn) and live bandmate Louisa Nicklin, Sulfate are celebrating their maximal new era with a nationwide tour, commencing this long weekend in Ōtepoti, Waihōpai and Ōtautahi. Physically out on limited Black & White and Red & Black vinyl LP editions plus digitally, Ruddell generously answered my questions about how And It Wants came to be — read onwards and don't miss them live...

Sulfate 'And It Wants' Aotearoa Tour

Friday 23rd October - The Crown Hotel, Dunedin w/ Dale Kerrigan, Fumitory

Saturday 24th October - Threes & Sevens Records, Invercargill w/ Slur
Sunday 25th October - Space Academy, Christchurch w/ Martin Sagadin, KOMMI

Friday 6th November - Goblin, Auckland w/ LEAO
Friday 13th November - Meow, Wellington w/ Teeth, Birdparty*
Saturday 14th November - Porridge Watson, Whanganui w/ Spacetrash + special guests

Tickets on sale HERE via UTR 
*Wellington tickets via meow.nz

Chris Cudby: Congratulations Peter on the launch of And It Wants! Five years has elapsed since Sulfate's previous record Godzone, which released during very different times. What has changed in the world of Sulfate, and what has stayed the same?

Peter Ruddell: Thanks Chris! It feels great to have this record out in the world.

That it has been five years since Godzone is hard to comprehend. So much has changed — and this new version of Sulfate really feels like a new band. When we started playing together mid-2025 we only looked at writing new music. Zac was a new addition, and since recording the album Louisa has joined too, and I suppose it's been a real — look to the future — kind of feeling since we started playing again. It's only in the last couple of weeks have we begun looking at material from the previous two albums...

The current lineup of Sulfate has rapidly become well known as a powerhouse live group. How much has performing live informed the writing / composition of And It Wants?

More so than any album I've worked on, I think. When David, Zac and I first got together we put a date in the calendar a couple of months away which was to be a showcase of whatever new material we had written by that point (as deadlines are always [always] your friend). We performed versions of the songs that ended up becoming And It Wants — but they were quite different to what ended up on the album. After that first show, we played another six or so times supporting friends' bands — and after each show we'd debrief and discuss how the songs should change the next time we were to play them. This cycle of performing, refining, rehearsing, and then performing again really focussed the material, and I think contributed to some more purposeful performances on the album.

Relating to my previous question, I note there's an emphasis on longer duration works on the record, which lean into these kind of craggy extended textural passages — but there's beauty to be found (for example the mid-point of 'Bravado') and significant variation too. How did these "tunes" actually take shape?

When creating something there must always be a balance between creative freedom and the imposition of limitations on that freedom, and by having these restrictions it enables creativity to flourish.

One of the reasons that it took five years to release new Sulfate material was that I had this feeling that there simply wasn't a need for anything new to exist, that because there was already so much music in the world any further contribution simply wasn't justified. Why add more to the pot that is already overflowing? So, when contemplating writing again, I reasoned that if something were to exist, and if its existence were to be justified as worthy of existing, it would need to exist on its own terms and exactly as it needs to. It should not be constrained by external forces beyond that which is absolutely necessary. There should be no compromise.

When we started writing, this is how we approached the songs — with creative freedom and a commitment to letting the songs go where they needed to go, uncompromised. We imposed minimal limitations — real instruments that sound true, minimal setup to keep creativity flowing, strict deadlines — and by doing so the songs started to emerge.

Thematically, I think that duration is essential to many of these songs - it was simply what was required. With the pace at which we proceed through life, as our attention spans grow shorter and our daily lives grow increasingly complex, I think many of us are experiencing a reaction to this speed and desire things which are not surface level but are instead challenging and require time to absorb. With increased effort comes an increase in pleasure and satisfaction — once you've exerted yourself, you've earned the reward.

The album regularly returns to the theme of death. What drew you to explore such a heavy, omnipresent theme with And It Wants? Did you have any other works in mind (in art / writing / cinema / music) as you approached the lyrical side of And It Wants?

Death is around all of us, all the time. It occurred to me that the fact we don't engage with the concept on a more regular basis limits us in terms of what we can do with our existence. How can we justify living and ensure our lives have meaning if we are not making full use of the life we have? I felt this was worth exploring.

In terms of other works, I have been reading a lot of Cormac McCarthy — and I was reading Blood Meridian when the album recording / mixing was coming to a head. This is an American Western where a teenager gets swept into a world of violence and cruelty in the mid-1800s. It's a bleak, punishing read in that it is relentless in its brutality — and the wanton destruction becomes mundane. I had this book on my desk when working on the album, and if I were stuck I'd ask myself what McCarthy would do, if I were in the world of Blood Meridian.

Both in Sulfate and Wax Chattels you've played with absolutely incredible drummers. What is it like to work with David? Likewise, what has Zac Arnold brought to Sulfate and why have you invited Louisa Nicklin to join you live? Does everyone have to wear a Sulfate uniform?

I'm incredibly privileged to be able to create music with such talented and committed people. David is an absolute joy to work with, and always has been — and we were keen to explore a more drum-centred album this time around. He really rose to the occasion.

Likewise with Zac — who is an absolute angel. He has a wealth of musical knowledge and was able to offer some really great insights in the writing stage. I feel like we "introduce" him to the band's catalogue appropriately in the first song on And It Wants — with a wall of Metal Zone bass guitar.

When we were performing more frequently last year we were discussing the idea of inviting another person into the group, and Louisa's name came up (both David and I have worked with her before). Then, after a show Louisa attended she mentioned that if ever we were to consider expanding the lineup she would be keen to be a part of the project. We couldn't say no — it was too perfect a scenario.

Regarding the uniform: No, it is not a requirement — however, if someone's heart were to be truly in Sulfate, the desire to wear the uniform would be their own.

Have you had a particularly favourite show you've played with the new Sulfate lineup so far?

The show we performed earlier this year at Bob Frisbee's Apartment, which was almost one year to the day since our first "new lineup" show in August 2025. It was also the first show with Louisa and it felt like we had fully realised the project. You can see clips from this in our video for 'Judgement' here:

Who might you consider to be Sulfate's musical peers, locally or internationally?

Here are some current bands / groups / solo artists that I like, though the word peer makes me a little uncomfortable as one shouldn't compare oneself to others!

Crook, The Armed, Perfume Genius, Gilla Band, Guardian Singles, Colin Stetson, Ethel Cain, DIIV, Preoccupations, The Prize, Womb, Leao, Swans, Pinch Points, Waxahatchee, Colin Miller, P.H.F., Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Christoph El Truento, Daniel Romano, J.R.C.G., The Lemon Twigs, Cory Hanson, Teeth, Robyn, Chastity, Cole Pulice, Jazmine Mary, Shame, Hermanos Gutierrez, Geese, Drive By Truckers, Wednesday, Big Thief, The Peep Tempel, HEALTH, Don Caballero (reformed, so counting as current), Juan Wauters, Marlon Williams, Mount Eerie, Deafheaven, Primitive Man, Dale Kerrigan, Ben Woods, Show Me The Body, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Lontalius, Alphabethead.

Much like The Fall – if it's Peter Ruddell and your granny on the bongos, is it still Sulfate?

I just want to make music with people I admire and enjoy spending time with. Life is too short not to. Sulfate is just a name, a feeling, a mood. BYOB(ongos), Chris!

'And It Wants' is out today on major streaming platforms and limited vinyl LP via Flying Nun Records & Holiday Records.