DRILL FOR ABSENTEE Announces Double EP, 'Strand Of A Lake' - Their First Release of New Material Since 1998
DRILL FOR ABSENTEE ANNOUNCES DOUBLE EP ‘STRAND OF A LAKE’ - THEIR FIRST RELEASE OF NEW MATERIAL SINCE 1998
Following the recent vinyl release of ‘Circle Music +4’, Drill for Absentee (DFA) is happy to announce new compilation release ‘Strand of a Lake Volumes 1 and 2’. Coming out Oct, 24 via Expert Work Records'.
Release: October 24
Genres: Math-rock,post-hardcore.
FFO: June of 44, Slint, Shipping News
Label: Expert Work Records
Track-list:
1.Hums
2.The Bad Days of Blonde, Black Nails
3. Skating
4.Placating the R_Sinbow
5.7riangles
6.Desert Flame
7.Revenge Arc8.Styli
Staying true to their origins, the trio revisits the conceptual and musical foundations that first distinguished them in the underground scene. The unmistakable DFA alchemy that turns calculated chaos, lyrical darkness, and raw poetry into riveting musical journeys is sure to capture the attention of both longtime fans, and a younger generation exploring underground music history. As guitarist and vocalist Michael Nace states, ‘Our new sound includes thefoundations of our post-hardcore roots, together with all of the new and eclecticmusic influences that we’ve picked up over the past 25 years.’ Bassist and vocalist Kevin Kelly adds, ‘We’ve taken on so many disparate musical influences over the years, and participated in a wide range of musical projects. Our new sound was bound to reflect that, but at its core this band is still very much the same project we started decades ago. It still sounds like Drill for Absentee.’
The band’s re-emergence began unexpectedly when Michael discovered YouTube’s evolving ‘math rock’ scene – far removed from DFA’s 1990s ethos – inspiring him to revisit old guitar parts. This creative spark led to ‘Hums,’ a track echoing the band’s signature complexity, and a transcontinental collaboration with Kevin (now living in Los Angeles) and new drummer Ken Kuniyoshi (Okinawa, Japan), recruited after his virtuosic covers of 90s post-hardcore gems caught Nace’s ear. ‘That’s how it started,’ remembers Ken. ‘First with Mike and I exchanging isolated tracks and overdubbing and Kevin joining on bass, which became the reincarnation of Drill For Absentee’. Michael says that distance has forced them to reinvent how the music takes shape. ‘Our creative process in the 1990s was much more conventional, with the band getting together a few times per week to develop new musical ideas and perfect our setlist. With these new songs, the fact that we live in three different places has completely changed the way that we collaborate on new music.’ Defying geographic barriers, the band crafts music remotely: trading tracks digitally, refining mixes across time zones, and preserving their darkly poetic aesthetic. As Kuniyoshi reflects: ‘Being oceans apart didn’t stop the creative process, and we set ourselves apart from others as an international band.’
The band chose to call their upcoming release a “double EP” to reflect the stylistic evolution their new collaboration has taken: Volume 1’s four tracks deliver a visceral homage to their 90s math-rock roots - angular, tense, and dripping with the post-hardcore intensity that first defined them; Volume 2 reveals an ambitious and exhilarating pivot, exploring complex rhythms and expansive textures that demonstrate the band’s 25-year musical journey. ‘I think the remote recording process has a lot to do with this new sound,’ says Kevin. ‘Passing tracks back and forth and recording in our own spaces allowed plenty of room for experimentation, which led us in some unexpected directions.’ As Ken puts it, ‘We sound like a different band on each side – Vol 1 sounds like a continuation of Drill For Absentee from the 90’s, and Vol 2 has a progressive-rock feel which was a very pleasant surprise for me as this was an unexpected direction after finishing recording Vol 1.’
The 8 new songs of ‘Strand of a Lake” represent both a homecoming and a reinvention, blending DFA’s foundational aggression with a mature eclecticism - all unified by the band members’ masterful interplay that elevates every composition. As Michael describes, ‘We’re time travelers. These songs honor our 90s selves while embracing the freedom of now’. “Strand of A Lake, Volume 1. and Volume. 2” is coming out October 24 via Expert Work Records. Pre-order from now on here.
BIO:
Formed in 1995, Drill for Absentee’s complex, poetic sound and propensity for rhythmic and sonic exploration made them outliers in Philadelphia’s post-hardcore scene. After a 20-year hiatus, their 2020s resurgence – driven by global collaboration and a profound reverence for underground music history – cements their legacy as architects of math rock’s rawest ethos.
