At The Drive-In releases “Governed By Contagions,” its first song in 16 years

By David Anthony | December 8, 2016 | 11:01pm

Aux Features Music

At The Drive-In releases “Governed By Contagions,” its first song in 16 years

Introducing Endless Mode: A New Games & Anime Site from Paste

Read our announcement | See the 10 Best Games of 2025 (So Far)

Ever since At The Drive-In announced its latest reunion tour the band has been teasing new music, though it’s not always been a smooth ride for the reunited band. Day before the tour’s launch, guitarist-vocalist Jim Ward declined to participate, and At The Drive-In replaced him with Ward’s one-time bandmate Keeley Davis. Following that, the band canceled a handful of tour dates after vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala fell ill, but it’s pressed on, promising a new record every step of the way. Today the band released what is assumed to be the first song from its follow-up to 2000’s Relationship Of Command, “Governed By Contagions.”

The song is currently available as a free download on the band’s website, but it was also uploaded to Rise Records’ YouTube channel, which isn’t the most subtle way to suggest what label the band’s new record will be released on. For the song itself, it taps into the anthemic post-hardcore sounds found on Relationship Of Command. While it doesn’t show the musically adventurous tendencies that typified At The Drive-In’s initial run, it shows the band is still capable of out-and-out rocking, which is certainly welcome.