Behind The Tracks: Drown In Malice - 20XX (Single) (2021)

The song itself was mostly done before the pandemic, with a few minor tweaks here and there that were changed before we recorded it. We think it's a step up for us as a band but still carries forth some of the trademarks we hoped to establish with the 'Post-Futures'-EP. So far we have not recorded any more songs, given our drummer situation but we sit on more than enough musical ideas and during the last 1,5 years at least creativity was not something we were worried about. The lyrics, however, deal with the aspects that we ARE worried about. Maybe it was just out of naivety or out of incurable optimism but in the first few weeks the lockdown situation for us felt like a chance for change as it revealed the possibility to bring almost everything to a halt. The economy, it appeared from the confines of our homes, almost stopped and everything slowed down and there was a short moment when it appeared as if it could not go back to normal ever again. At the same time the struggles of those working in the health sector were visible to all of us through our TVs or laptops and the inhuman conditions that the neoliberal agenda with its focus on privatizations and the exploitation of human beings had created was at the forefront. At no point this could just all get back to the way it has been before. Well, it turns out: it would go back to normal and it would even get worse. More and more people were dying during the second wave and politically almost nothing had been done to prevent this. Also there was a huge disparity between those who could go back to work in the industry without any mandatory limitations and those who were e.g. working in the cultural domain. Or students. They were left alone for many months while at the same time having lost their jobs. Those who were working and living under precarious conditions were forgotten almost entirely. And with this setup which showed the inequalities we live in so clearly, the ones that were actually heard and discussed the most were those who were denying or downplaying the virus and such easy and basic precautions as simply wearing a mask. They also had no problem walking side by side with known neonazis and other right wing and conspiratory nutjobs. All under the eyes of the police and politicians. The small glimmer of hope for solidarity and a restructuring of our current society had turned into an egomanical, chauvinistic and manically anti-scientifical shitshow. And it far overstayed its welcome. This is what the lyrics are about. How everything went back to 'normal' far too fast and this 'normality' is something that will most certainly lead to catastrophic outcomes in the future. Regarding the video we wanted to go one step further and show the indisparities not only the virus had once again made so visible to everyone who wanted to see it but also draw parallels to the climate catastrophe which needs to be at least contained as soon as possible and other instances of protest out of solidarity and anger instead of egocentrism and crude power fantasies. The video was edited with our friend Philipp Oertel and we think that it adds another layer to the song and hopefully complements it well.