Andrew W.K. has released "Temptation To Exist", his first album in five years and a striking departure into instrumental jazz-noir territory, moving away from the maximalist party rock that made him famous. Best known for his 2001 anthem "Party Hard" and the celebratory, high-energy persona built around it, the artist has instead crafted a cinematic, exploratory record built on piano, brass, woodwinds, strings and other instrumentation, showing a musical side rarely heard from him before.

The self-produced album was recorded at Valentine Studios and Lobrutto Visuals/R.C.U. Audio West in Los Angeles, with Steev Mike as executive producer and mastering by Howie Weinberg. Andrew W.K. plays numerous instruments himself and is joined by Nick Lane on trombone, Gabe Noel on cello and bass harmonica, and Ryan Tharayil on saxophone, flute and clarinet. It follows 2021's critically acclaimed "God Is Partying", which topped several year-end metal lists, and features eight tracks including "Michael's Theme", "Nightmares" and "Double B".