Two years after their artistic quantum leap “Call Me What You Want” — and a run of European tours alongside Axel Rudi Pell — Hamburg glam ‘n’ sleaze metal four-piece Night Laser are back with the news their die-hards have been itching for: a brand new album titled “Rats In The Cradle,” arriving September 25 via Steamhammer/SPV on CD DigiPak, marbled green/yellow black double vinyl, and all the usual digital haunts.

If the first taste is any indication, Night Laser have officially taken the handbrake off. Lead single “Heart Of The Desert Rose” is a blues-rock ballad built on grace, grit, and a guest vocal from none other than Johnny Gioeli (Axel Rudi Pell, Hardline), whose voice slots in next to frontman Benno Hankers like it was always meant to be there. The band dedicates the track to “all those women out there who never surrender, who always keep going and who fill this world with their light.” Cue goosebumps.

Watch the “Heart Of The Desert Rose” video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGno7IbrZuo

“Night Laser have become the band we’ve always wanted to be,” says singer Benno Hankers. “The handbrake is off and the turbo has been ignited. This is our most diverse album to date and it breathes rock, metal, blues, funk and, above all, friendship and fun!” Bassist Rob Hankers puts an even finer point on it: “With this new album, we’ve definitely found our unique style.”

That style was captured by producer Eike Freese (Deep Purple, Saga), who worked hand-in-glove with the band — Benno and Rob Hankers, guitarist Felipe Zapata Martinez, and drummer Ingemar Oswald — along with pre-production support from Gamma Ray bassist Dirk Schlächter. The result is eleven tracks that stretch from the cheeky middle-finger of “S.T.F.U.” to the swagger of “Blueberry Gin” (featuring Sascha Paeth) and the title track itself.

“Rats In The Cradle” Track Listing:
1. S.T.F.U.
2. Make You Mine
3. Defenders (feat. Sebastian Zierof)
4. Blueberry Gin (feat. Sascha Paeth)
5. Heart Of The Desert Rose (feat. Johnny Gioeli)
6. Rats In The Cradle
7. Into The West
8. 19CR490
9. Get Out (feat. Lars Rettkowitz)
10. Goddess Of The Sky
11. You And Me

Night Laser will spend the rest of 2026 proving that this record was built for the stage, including a run of European dates as special guest for Axel Rudi Pell this fall, a headline show in Oberhausen in December, and a string of 2027 dates already on the books.

Night Laser 2026/2027 Tour Dates:
7/10 — Ehndorf, DE — Rock Area A7 Open Air
7/11 — Bornemannshausen, DE — Wipfelbeben Open Air
7/26 — Wolfsburg, DE — Autostadt Porsche Stage Open Air
8/7 — Kiel, DE — Bootshafen Sommer Open Air
8/22 — Handeloh, DE — Wini Macken Open Air
8/29 — Brockhöfe, DE — Farmfest Open Air
9/19 — Hamburg, DE — Markthalle (with Hardbone)

Special Guest for Axel Rudi Pell:
9/23 — Pratteln, CH — Z7
9/25 — Cologne, DE — Live Music Hall
9/26 — Osnabrück, DE — Hydepark
9/27 — Bochum, DE — Zeche
9/29 — Ulm, DE — Roxy
9/30 — Mannheim, DE — Capitol
10/2 — Gelnhausen, DE — Warehouse Seven
10/3 — Stuttgart, DE — Longhorn
10/4 — Regensburg, DE — Eventhall
10/6 — Vienna, AT — Szene
10/7 — Nürnberg, DE — Hirsch
10/8 — Kortrijk, BE — De Kreun
10/9 — Heerlen, NL — Nieuwe Nor
10/10 — Zoetermeer, NL — Boerderij

Headline:
12/11 — Oberhausen, DE — Helvete

2027:
1/16 — Braunschweig, DE — KuFa Haus
1/23 — Hameln, DE — Regenbogen
2/6 — Hamburg, DE — Bahnhof Pauli
5/8 — Lübeck, DE — Rider’s Cafe

Pre-order “Rats In The Cradle” now, crank “Heart Of The Desert Rose” loud, and clear your calendar — these rats are coming for your speakers September 25.