Crashdïet 2026: New Album, New Bassist – But Same Chaos?
Crashdïet, Art Of Chaos, and a Badly Timed Exit?
Big new are coming from the legendary Swedish sleaze rockers Crashdïet this December. The band have announced their new album Art Of Chaos, due on May 8th, 2026, alongside a lineup change that slightly complicates the whole narrative.
As the band announced on their official website, Chris Young of Midnight Danger steps in as the band’s new bassist, replacing Peter London, who has exited for what are described simply as “private reasons.”
On the surface, it looks like a clean transition and a forward-looking announcement. But, the recent developments are changing the whole context making it impossible to treat it just as a routine business. When a long-time original member is stepping away just as a new album cycle begins is never a “normal routine”, and it indeed can raise the suspicions. Especially if we are talking about Crashdïet: a band whose history has been defined by instability, reinvention and survival. Or chaos…
The Silja Rock Factor?
Not long after leaving Crashdïet, Finnish magazine Chaoszine came with a news article stating that Peter London is going to be a part of En Jäkla Massa Rock, a high-profile Swedish supergroup booked for Silja Rock 2026 after The Poodles’ withdrawal. The lineup reads like a roll call of established names from the Swedish rock scene such are: Christian ‘Kicken’ Lundqvist from The Poodles, Kee Marcello (ex-Europe), Love Magnusson from Dynazty, vocalist Nina Söderquist and Ellinor Asp..
This development of event does not invalidate the explanation of “private reasons,” but it does strip it of ambiguity. You can easily read this as: Peter London has not stepped away from music or touring or maybe major stages. But he has stepped away from Crashdïet instead!?
Interesting Timing
Now just to be clear, we are not stating that this has happened. We are just raising the question here. Leaving one band and joining another is not a scandal, and it does not automatically signal conflict or internal drama. Musicians change priorities, workloads, and creative environments all the time, particularly after decades in the same scene.
However, what is less easy to ignore is the actual timing. Walking away from Crashdïet on the eve of a new album suggests a misalignment in direction, commitment, or tolerance for what a full album cycle demands. Whatever the reason, this simply does not look like just a casual decision.
What About Crashdïet?
What matters most is how Crashdïet responded. There was no pause, no hesitation, and no attempt to soften the change. Chris Danger was installed quickly and presented as a solution. This is not the first time that Peter London has “taken a break.” It has happened before.
He has been replaced many times by the bassist of the band Confess, and even by Chris Young himself this year, and that at one of the most important shows in the band’s history. The 20th anniversary of the release of the album Rest In Sleaze, which was held at the Debaser club in Stockholm in September. It seems that the band was prepared and had a plan B the whole time.
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Final Take
In the end, once again, we must emphasize that our goal was not to create drama or spread disinformation. However, if there is doubt – there is clearly a doubt. On the other hand, what is far more important now is the fact that the new album has been confirmed. Four years after Automaton, the band will release a new record for the first time with new vocalist John Elliot. It will be very interesting to hear how that will sound since it is a significant change in the overall band’s sound, again.
We are also eagerly awaiting the first single, which according to some information is titled Chaos Magnetic. The band still hasn’t announced an exact release date for this song, but as we approach the end of the year, it’s worth remembering December 31, 2018, when the band released the song Reptile exactly at midnight as the first single from the upcoming album Rust. Maybe something similar will happen again.
As for Peter London, considering that he is an original member of the legendary first lineup (after the one with Tobias Forge), we hope that nothing serious is going on and that he will sooner or later return to where he belongs. Time will tell.
