Back in 2021, the Richmond-based band Gnawing released their debut album, You Freak Me Out. Today, they’re back with news of a follow-up, Modern Survival Techniques, out in May. “The record is a pretty direct response to putting out a record in COVID and the ‘streaming age,’ dealing with a lot of frustrations with playing music these days,” the band told Under The Radar, continuing:

We wanted to go for a more stripped-back sound with this one and went back to basics, having Christian (drums) record it with our friend Tim Falen helping produce. We rented a cabin in the middle of nowhere and tracked it, just the four of us over 5 days. The songs are shorter and a lot more direct than most of the previous record, it really just sounds like the four of us having fun and playing music!

The album’s lead single is called “Gimme Tinnitus” (also the name of a blog) and it’s fuzzy and tangled and sardonic. “What was that you said? There’s a ringin’ in my head/ It wasn’t always there, it’s getting worse I’m scared” go its opening lines. “A fresh take on an old sound, got the mindset but it’s blown out/ You think you’re changing the game but you’re just staking your claim.” Listen below.

Modern Survival Techniques is out 5/19 via Refresh Records.