Back in the summer of 2018, the Chicago post-punk band Deeper emerged with a self-titled debut. It was a promising introduction, the kind that leaves you wondering how a band could grow over the course of a follow-up. Well, we’re about to find out pretty soon: Deeper are returning with a sophomore effort called Auto-Pain, out in late March. It turns out the band’s been building up to it for a bit — “Run,” their infectious single from last August, is included on the album. But today, we get more details about Auto-Pain, as well as another preview of the album.

The title Auto-Pain is inspired by Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World — the opposite of soma, the pill characters in that book could take to numb everything. A press release describes it as “the desire to return to a connection with thoughts and clarity, which comes at the expense of feeling everything simultaneously.” Musically, Auto-Pain promises to be hookier, with slight modulations on Deeper’s aesthetic, icy synths mingling with those spiky post-punk guitars already at the foundation of their sound. Thematically, it appears these songs will grapple with some heavy topics, depression being a major one.

Along with the announcement, Deeper have shared “This Heat.” Here’s what the band had to say about the new track:

In the dead of Chicago winter, there’s a particular withdrawal from sun exposure that presents a deep contrast to the color and excitement of the city in the summer. In “This Heat,” we explore this lack of sun and the seasonal depression that sometimes accompanies it. It’s a metaphor for how we cope with particular low points and how euphoric it can feel when the feeling passes — even if momentarily. The song relates to the album as a whole because while the record is about depression, it’s also about finding a way to get better. We wanted to bottle up the hope we feel on the first day over 40 degrees.

“This Heat” has all the calling cards of classic post-punk — clipped and yelped vocals, a nervy and anxious pulse. But, true to the band’s intention, there’s oddly something soothing about it. By the end, all the buzzing guitars and layers become almost pretty, a wave to coast out on. The song is accompanied by a video directed by Zach Harris, featuring the band members collecting plants that are evidently biohazards, then sending them to appreciative customers. Check it out below.

TRACKLIST:

01 “Esoteric”
02 “Run”
03 “This Heat”
04 “Willing”
05 “Lake Song”
06 “Untitled”
07 “Spray Paint”
08 “4U”
09 “VMC”
10 “Helena’s Flowers”
11 “The Knife”
12 “Warm”

TOUR DATES:

02/10 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique *
02/11 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie *
02/12 – Tourcoing, FR @ La Grand Mix *
02/14 – Groningen, NL @ Vera *
02/15 – Den Haag, NL @ Paard van Troje *
02/17 – Bristol, UK @ Thekia *
02/18 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla *
02/19 – Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s *
02/21 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare And Hounds *
02/22 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut *
02/24 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms *
02/25 – Brighton, UK @ CHALK *
02/26 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton *
02/27 – Salford, UK @ BBC6 Session
03/04 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade NYC #
03/06 – Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover #
03/07 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub #
03/08 – Tampa, FL @ Hooch & Hive #
03/09 – Miami, FL @ Gramps #
03/13 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger #
03/14 – Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar #
03/15 – 20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/22 – Hot Springs, AR – Valley of the Vapors #
03/23 – Nashville, TN @ DRKMTTR #
03/24 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 #
03/26 – Richmond, VA @ Poor Richards #
04/02 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall (Album Release)
04/17 – Rotterdam NL @ Motel Mozaique
04/18 – Utrecht, NL @ Slathe
04/20 – Cologne, DE @ Hangende Garten
04/21 – Hamburg DE @ Hafenklang
04/22 – Berling, DE @ Schokoladen
04/23 – Prague, CZ @ Rock Cafe
04/24 – Zurich, CH @ Gonzo
04/25 – Luxembourg Lux @ Out Of The Crowds %

* w/ Twin Peaks
# w/ Corridor
% w/ Holy Fuck

CREDIT: Jacob Pesci

Auto-Pain is out 3/26 on Fire Talk Records. Pre-order it here.