Industrial duo HIDE have announced the upcoming release of their second full-length album «Hell Is Here». It will succeed the band’s acclaimed debut «Castration Anxiety» (available in digital and physical formats here and here, respectively) , in which they addressed “issues of power dynamics and representation.” This time around, Gabel and Sher push things even further, musically and thematically. Per its press release, “the tone is sick and heavy” with the duo using its “established blueprint of complex drum programming, stomach churning sub bass and aggressive expressive vocals” to “poke and prod at the perception of musical context, and remind the listener that feelings of anxiety, pain, and discomfort are equally as important as those of resolution.”

Below, watch the video of to the painful opener of «Hell Is Here», «Chainsaw», following which lies a summary style quote from its press release. It should be noted that its chilling lyrics (which can be found here) are not written by the band, but are a collection of verbal assaults they have received whilst walking on the streets, “often while in the company of a child.” The video was created in a collaboration  between the band, Alison Nguyen/Menthol Pictures, and Chris Hefner.

The summation of material presented on Hell Is Here is perhaps best interpreted as the rawest innards of HIDE’s vision for the self-governing ideology that’s consistently present throughout their body of work. Painful truth and honest examination of life’s darkest, and often undiscussed, crevices scratch and claw their way to the surface through the duo’s strongest and most confrontational work to date.

«Hell Is Here» is set for release on August 23 through Dais Records on cd, digital, and vinyl formats. Pre-orders are available here (digital) and here (cd and vinyl).

Further note that the album will presented live on August 24 at The Empty Bottle in Chicago. On that occasion, HIDE will be joined by Hogg, Grün Wasser, and Good Fuck.