Aghori Mhori Mei

In December 2022, Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin posted through his official Instagram account that the band were "back in the studio". In May 2023, Billy Corgan announced that the band had already began work on a follow-up album to triple album Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts (2022–2023). The band initially recorded 20 songs for the album with Corgan wanting to put out a record with "somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10 to 12 songs". In June 2024, Corgan gave an update on the band having worked on the album for "almost two years now". He described the pressure of recording new material to deadlines, stating that "It's not healthy, but I've gotten used to it through the years". He reiterated that "It's very much a rock, guitar record, old school" and that "old-school fans will be happy, for once". In an interview with Audacy in August 2024, Corgan described how the band wanted to get into the "mindset" of recording songs in the spirit of Siamese Dream but not replicating the exact sound. Explaining that "you go back to the old school but with a new version of yourself", he further elaborated on using the old processes; "You just move on into other pastures, good and bad. You take your lumps as you go". The album was produced with the help of long-time band collaborator Howard Willing. == Composition ==

The standard edition of the album consists of 10 songs, all written and produced by Billy Corgan with production assistance from Howard Willing. The album has elements of progressive rock, alternative rock, heavy metal and pop. Some of the tracks such as "Goeth the Fall" take on a mid tempo ballad styling, with "Who Goes There" leaning into a more "bittersweet pop" presentation. ==Title and artwork==

The meaning of the album title was debated in several publications, with some attempting to decipher the meaning. Classic Rock attempted to use ChatGPT to give meaning to the title, without success. The magazine did give insight into the word "Aghori" relating to a "sect of Hindu ascetics known for their unconventional practices". In their review of the album, Beats Per Minute concluded the same meaning for the word "Aghori". Going further they opined that the word "Mhori" was an "alteration" of the word Mahori, a Sanskrit term that can mean "beautiful or attractive". They also tied the word "Mei" to a Hindi possessive term. It features a black-and-white picture of a spherical shaped object in the foreground, with two white lines of decreasing vertical distance in the background. The album artwork was inspired by photographs from the Cassini–Huygens space research mission to study the planet Saturn and its system. Particular influence came from the mission's photographs of Saturn's Moon, Titan. A unique gatefold vinyl variant of the album called ''"Aghori Mhori Mei: Madame ZuZu's edition"'' was released on 22 November 2024. The design of the alternative album cover is the same as the standard edition cover art, recolored in "chinoise red". == Promotion and release ==

The album was released on August 2, 2024, through Martha's Music, and will be distributed digitally through streaming services and digital storefronts initially. Physical copies of the album were released on November 22, 2024. An exclusive edition vinyl named ''Aghori Mhori Mei: Madame ZuZu's edition'' was released through frontman Billy Corgan's Chicago tea room Madame ZuZu's. Despite no singles being released before the albums release, "Sighommi" was released as the first single on August 2, 2024. It was promoted to alternative and rock format radio stations in the United States. The track was the number one most-added track to these formats in its first week of release. A second single, "Who Goes There" was released on November 27, 2024, and peaked at #41 on Billboard's Rock & Alternative Airplay charts. A double A-side 7" single featuring "Formosa" and "Our Lady of Sorrows" was released on November 22, 2024, free with the "Madame ZuZu's edition" of the album. In promotion for the album the band released a series of AI altered videos. The videos alter the English language version, with Billy Corgan promoting the album in various languages, including French, German and Japanese. An outtake from the album's sessions, "Chrome Jets", was released as a standalone single on September 12, 2025. == Critical reception ==

The album topped an "All-Genre Poll" run by Billboard, with music fans naming their favorite new music release of the week. Year-end lists == Track listing==

All songs written by William Patrick Corgan == Personnel ==

The Smashing Pumpkins • Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, production • Jimmy Chamberlin – drums • James Iha – guitar Additional personnel • Katie Cole – backing vocals • Jenna Fournier – backing vocals • Howard Willing – engineering • Andrew Scheps – mixing (tracks 1–9) • Ryan Hewitt – mixing (track 10) == Charts ==