Jamie Hewlett, the cartoonist of virtual band Gorillaz confirmed the band’s return in a series of new Instagram posts in his personal account earlier today.
He posted three new coloured sketches of the band members, two of bassist Murdoc and one of guitarist Noodle. In the comments below the first image he posted, he said simply: “Yes. Gorillaz Returns.”
Damon Albarn, the frontman of the band, ruled out any return of Gorillaz last year. Yet in another interview before, Damon Albarn said that he was prepping a new album and was “in the process of reactivating” the group for a potential 2016 release date. Since the promised a return of his animated Gorillaz project last October he has remained silent on any further plans. Meanwhile, the singer has been busy staging a musical in Manchester and promoting his solo material.
The new drawings show an edgier, less green Murdoc holding a gun and wearing a religious necklace. It also shows Noodle wearing a Japanese-styled Kamikaze jacket, air goggles and brandishing a weapon resembling a samurai sword. This may mean that the new Gorillaz album contains a war theme, or features an adventure back to Japan or a faraway continent.
The last album Gorillaz released was 2011′s mini-ipad album The Fall.
Great news for all the fans- it looks like there will be new Gorillaz material released sometime this year! Stay tuned for more news.
Check out Jamie Hewlett's Instagram account HERE.