The Flaming Lips Will Release At War With The Mystics Box
The six-CD 20th anniversary collection arrives this November featuring rare live recordings and unreleased tracks.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Alternative
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The Flaming Lips announced a massive six-CD 20th anniversary reissue of their 2006 album At War With The Mystics, scheduled for release on November 13, 2026. The expanded set includes rare tracks, previously unreleased demos, and archival concert recordings.
Why it matters
The reissue celebrates two decades of a critically acclaimed project that originally secured two Grammy Awards for the band at the 49th ceremony. It offers fans an extensive look into the creative output from that era through live documentation and studio rarities.
The anniversary collection spans six CDs and builds on the legacy of an album that won two Grammy Awards. While this set focuses on CD media, the band confirmed that the material will eventually be released in vinyl formats.
The players
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an Oklahoma-based rock band known for their elaborate live shows and experimental psychedelic sound.
Rhino
Rhino is a division of Warner Music Group that specializes in the reissue and archival release of catalog music.
Warner Records
Warner Records is a major American record label that oversees a vast catalog of popular music releases.
The details
This expansive box set features a deep dive into the 2006 era, including the full concert recordings of U.F.O.s At The Zoo in Oklahoma City and the Live At The Hollywood Bowl performance. The band recently shared a previously unreleased demo of the song The Sound Of Failure to accompany the announcement of this Rhino and Warner Records collaboration.
Timeline
The original album was released in 2006.
The band announced the reissue and released a demo on September 30, 2026.
The complete box set will be released on November 13, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This comprehensive box set follows a common industry trend of leveraging legacy catalog material to maintain fan engagement during the ongoing decline of physical media sales. It marks a significant expansion of the band's recorded history, providing a multi-format approach that caters to both digital listeners and dedicated vinyl collectors.
Listeners can pre-order the six-CD set now in anticipation of the November 13 release date. Fans looking for the material on vinyl will need to wait for further announcements regarding upcoming physical release schedules.
The takeaway
The Flaming Lips are utilizing their deep catalog to provide fans with a high-value collection of rarities and concert archives. Collectors should note that while this comprehensive package is CD-focused, future vinyl options will allow for different methods of archival consumption.
Further reading
Find more retrospective coverage on the Alternative music scene.
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