More than three decades into a career defined by fearlessness, reinvention and emotional precision, Tori Amos has released her 18th studio album, In Times of Dragons — a sweeping, allegorical work that blends political urgency with the mythic storytelling that has long made her one of modern music’s most singular voices.
Out now via Universal/Fontana, the album arrives to strong early acclaim, with The Times calling it “her most unsettling and socially connected work since her much‑revered ’90s output,” while Classic Pop praises its boldness and ambition. As The Irish Times put it: “This mother of dragons still knows how to roar.”
At the heart of In Times of Dragons is a fictionalised version of Amos herself — a woman trapped in a marriage to a dangerous billionaire, forced to flee across America as she searches for freedom. It’s a narrative steeped in metaphor, but unmistakably rooted in the anxieties of the present moment.
“This is a metaphorical story about the fight for democracy over tyranny,” Amos explains. She describes the album as a response to a world where political instability feels increasingly unavoidable. Echoing her own 1994 classic Cornflake Girl, she adds: “This is not really happening? You bet your life it is.”
The journey begins with the ominous piano of opening track “Shush”, where the protagonist recognises the danger closing in. As the album unfolds, she undergoes a gradual metamorphosis — becoming the dragon she must be to confront the forces pursuing her.
The title track, “In Times of Dragons,” marks the moment she breaks free, stepping into the unknown with equal parts fear and resolve. Along the way she encounters a cast of characters who help her survive, including the rebellious Gasoline Girls, a collective of women who “tend the fire” and stand defiantly against oppression.
The album also explores generational legacy, with Amos’ daughter Natashya Hawley co‑writing and singing on several tracks. Their collaboration on “Veins” becomes a striking call‑and‑response about the emotional and moral inheritance passed between generations.
With more than 12 million albums sold and multiple Grammy nominations, Amos has long balanced the personal with the political, the intimate with the mythic. In Times of Dragons feels like a culmination of that duality — a record that channels the turbulence of the present through a story that feels timeless.
To support the release, Amos embarks on her largest European tour in over a decade, performing across 17 countries with longtime collaborator Jon Evans on bass and Earl Harvin on drums. They’re joined by backing vocalists Liv Gibson, Deni Hlavinka and Hadley Kennary, bringing the album’s world to life alongside highlights from her extensive catalogue.
