Released: 2017

Genres: Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock

The Musiquarium’s in•ter a•li•a Review Score: 7.5 out of 10

Between the release of At the Drive-In’s last album, Relationship of Command, and in•ter a•li•a, vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala and guitarist Omar Rodriguez-López had formed the highly successful prog rock outfit, The Mars Volta, with the rest of the band going on to form Sparta. It was uncertain whether the band would reunite, but that changed 17 years later.

Though they reunited in 2012 for Coachella and Lollapalooza, it would take another several years before any new material had emerged from At the Drive-In. Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Rodriguez-López were joined by previous members Paul Hinojos and Tony Hajjar, although guitarist Jim Ward did not return and was replaced by Keeley Davis (another member of Sparta).

No Wolf Like the Present storms out of the gate, like the band had never gone away. Continuum continues the momentum with a powerful chorus, showing that Cedric Bixler-Zavala can still wail like he used to in the nineties. Incurably Innocent rips along with its incendiary guitars. Ghost-Tape No. 9 slows things down a little, giving a break from the full-frontal attack of the rest of the album.

in•ter a•li•a is a solid return from At the Drive-In, that fortunately doesn’t tarnish the band’s legacy, though its absence of Jim Ward is felt.

For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view At the Drive-In on Discogs.

Back to the 2017 Album Guide or the At the Drive-In Reviews page.

Written by Brett Nippard