At The Drive-In - Topic

The Poincaré recurrence theorem posits certain mathematical systems will resume a state closely resembling their initial state following a finite length of time.

Upholding this theory, it only took 15 years for At The Drive In to return to the studio and record the follow-up to 2000’s seminal Relationship of Command and the El Paso, TX-born band’s fourth full-length album, IN·TER A·LI·A [Rise Records]. Life’s circular current delivered the quintet—Cedric Bixler [vocals], Omar Rodriguez-Lopez [guitar], Paul Hinojos [bass], Tony Hajjar [drums], and Keeley Davis [guitar]—back to this point with the same sound and fury that indisputably defined a turn-of-century musical movement. Now, the group siphon their signature controlled chaos with tendrils of punk, alternative, post-hardcore, and rock through a clearer lens of wisdom and experience.

“We still get in the room and feel like it’s the first day,” admits Tony. “When we get together, there’s this uneasiness, excitement, and youthful joy. We used everything we learned over the years, but we remembered that this is At The Drive In. When it came to this band, we always likened it to a gang. That’s how we lived. To this day, I still feel that us against the world mentality. It works for us in the chemical equation. For all intents and purposes, we started in a garage. We played all of the basements we could, and we moved up to kitchens. We’re still that band in our heads.”

“It was about getting back to that primordial self,” adds Cedric. “We essentially agreed, ‘We need to honor the last record. We need to go forward, be the fucking core of what we are, and ignore everything we learned in our years apart.’ It was a great lesson in communication. We wanted to honor the fan base and the frame of mind of being young. Most of us have children. It’s very easy for me to access that wonder where there really shouldn’t be any rules.”

At The Drive In’s beginnings can be traced back to Omar’s garage where the boys jammed for countless hours in 1993. Moving from D.I.Y. underground El Paso, TX shows to local clubs, they quietly built a loyal following. The band’s debut, Acrobatic Tenement, arrived in 1996 followed by 1998’s In/Casino/Out and Vaya in 1999 each of which saw quantum leaps in the band’s sonic vocabulary and proficiency, amplifying buzz and landing them on tours including an arena run supporting Rage Against the Machine. The creative apex of their first 7 years, Relationship of Command, released in 2000, quickl