The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die Announce New Album ‘Dreams of Being Dust’
Out On August 22 Via Epitaph Records
Listen To New Single “Se Sufre Pero Se Goza“
Today, experimental post-rock sextet The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die announce their new album, ‘Dreams of Being Dust,’ due for release on August 22nd via Epitaph Records. Pre-order HERE.
Inspired by a world ravaged and devastated by late-stage capitalism, neo-liberalism and neo-fascism, the 11 songs on Dreams of Being Dust were made for – and born out of – these harrowing times. On their fifth record and follow-up to 2021’s Illusory Walls, TWIABP pull no punches in addressing the crises that have developed as a result.
After unveiling a newfound brutalism on “Beware the Centrist,” which Stereogum hailed as “a frantic, teeth-gnashing attack,” today the band continues this approach with another new single titled “Se Sufre Pero Se Goza“. – LISTEN HERE
Translated to “It is suffered but it is enjoyed,” the new track is a blast of bleak post-hardcore that rages against the dying of the light, with vicious energy counterbalanced by a bittersweet refrain of “We need more time” that repeats throughout. It also features Brendan Murphy from Counterparts, one of three guest vocalists on this album.
Lead vocalist David F. Bello provides more context on the track: “My dad died. Anthony’s mom died. The world is a beautiful place, but life fucking sucks a lot of the time. Writing songs and playing them help us deal with the worst moments, so maybe they can do that for you. If you’re at a hospital or a funeral any time soon, this song is for you. We hope our songs can carve out some minutes of pleasure for you along the way. ‘We suffer, but we enjoy.’”
Though it might seem like a strange shift superficially, this move towards heavier, more aggressive music actually fits the trajectory of the band’s constantly developing sound. Now a six-piece consisting of founding member Josh Cyr (bass), Steven Buttery (drums, percussion), David F. Bello (lead vocals), Chris Teti (guitar, vocals), Katie Dvorak (vocals, keyboards) and Anthony Gesa (guitar, vocals), TWIABP have always had a flair for the heavier side of things. Formerly lurking in the background, now they’re ready to embrace it and bring it to the forefront.
“One of the first bands I bonded with Steve about was Snapcase,” remembers Teti, “but that was in 2011 when we were this light indie, post-rock-leaning band. But with this fifth album, we just said ‘Fuck it.’ We’ve done the post-rock thing for multiple albums, and that’s totally cool, but I feel that live it was shifting a little more aggressive already, and I never want to settle.”
Co-produced by Teti and his studio partner Greg Thomas, then mastered by Will Putney, Dreams of Being Dust is a violent record for violent times. It’s also an incredibly important record, one that offers an unflinchingly real reflection of these troubled times we’re living in. While dark, it never despairs. Rather, it confronts and fights back with purpose and passion. Outside of its political contexts, it also feels like an important album on a personal level — the sound of a band reckoning with their own legacy and history, as well as the scene they’ve cultivated since forming in 2009.
Dreams of Being Dust Tracklisting
1. Dimmed Sun
2. Se Sufre Pero Se Goza
3. No Pilgrim
4. Beware the Centrist
5. Oubliette
6. Captagon
7. Dissolving
8. Reject All and Submit
9. December 4th, 2024
10. Auguries of Guilt
11. For Those Who Will Outlive Us
Photo Credit: Lisa Johnson