The Red Hot Chili Peppers have released a new single titled "Black Summer," their first offering since reuniting with guitarist John Frusciante.

The song begins with subdued guitar riffs, then slowly builds as vocals, bass and finally drums get added into the mix. “It’s been a long time since I made a new friend, waiting on another black summer to end,” frontman Anthony Kiedis declares in the soaring chorus, his words soon followed by a wailing solo courtesy of Frusciante. Things slow down once more before the band erupts towards the end of the track.

Listen to "Black Summer" below.

Red Hot Chili Peppers announced Frusciante's return in late 2019, signaling his third tenure with the band. He previously played with the group from 1988-1992 and 1998-2009, contributing to their most commercially successful albums, including 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik and 1999's Californication. Frusciante's last album with the band to date is 2006's double-disc Stadium Arcadium.

Prior to Frusciante's latest return, Josh Klinghoffer handled guitar duties for RHCP, playing on their last two studio albums, 2011's I'm With You and 2016's The Getaway.

The band had planned to celebrate Frusciante's return with a series of festival dates in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic dashed those plans. Instead, they went to work on writing a new album, which will be released in conjunction with their massive summer 2022 stadium tour.

“We could just plow through and write, and that’s what we did," drummer Chad Smith told Rolling Stone last year. "It was kind of a blessing, because we want to come out with new music and play some new songs. It’s gonna be great when we finally go out next year and have a record to play, and a bunch of other stuff, obviously.”

The drummer added that the band has been "getting along great" with Frusciante back in the fold, and the reunion "feels completely natural." "We’re really listening to each other in a new way," Smith enthused. "He’s so dedicated. He’s so into it. He’s working so hard. We’re all working hard, but he’s in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings.”

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