SCENE REPORT : Tongues of Fire Mark Their Self-Titled Record Release With One Last Atlanta Show on June 5th

© Sarah Kelley

Words by Ellen Arden

Tongues of Fire’s self-titled album arrives after more than three years of false starts, long-distance writing, burnout, and refinement. Split between Atlanta and Asheville, the post-punk band released the 10-track record on May 13, produced by Dan Dixon and featuring Lowell Hobbs on guitar/vocals, Eli Raymer on drums, Joel Ragan on bass, and Jesse Cegielski on guitar. Built from years of singles, demos, and live-tested material, the album pulls the band’s post-punk, grunge, and noise-rock instincts into something direct, hard-hitting, and restless. Ahead of Tongues of Fire’s upcoming record release show, we spoke with Hobbs about burnout, the long road to recording, and the band’s impending hiatus.

For Hobbs, the album marks the completion of a long and difficult process.

“Due to a mixture of things like mental health, touring, distance, being broke, lack of support, and high standards which all have fed into each other… It’s been a long, slow process to get here — about three years,” Hobbs said. “I’m glad because the album has gone through a lot of refinement. Some of these songs went through all kinds of different layers of demos or got played live for years before they were worth being recorded.”

That distance — both geographic and emotional — is built into the record. Tongues of Fire operates between Atlanta and Asheville, but Hobbs said the separation never became the central obstacle. The band’s trust in one another made the process possible.

“The other guys in the band are all excellent musicians and songwriters and I trust them so the distance has not been too much of an issue,” he said. “I send them the demos and they either play them as written or expand on them in cool ways I’d never think of.”

The record’s force comes partly from how little it tries to hide. In a moment when many rock records arrive sanded down, compressed, and polished into a digital sheen, Tongues of Fire wanted the album to feel alive. The band recorded live together in one room, preserving the human texture of the performances rather than chasing perfection.

“I strive for excellence, but perfection is usually so fucking boring and lifeless, just like every single song ever created by AI,” Hobbs said.

That approach is especially clear on “Apathy 2.0,” a song Hobbs said is nearly 10 years old and had evolved far beyond its original version by the time the band recorded it.

“We had some time at the end of a session and just blew through the song in like one take,” he said. “No click track and barely any overdubs, and it worked, so we kept it.”

The entire album carries a recurring sense of exhaustion, detachment, and the overwhelming feeling of trying to claw out of familiar cycles. Hobbs said those themes were not mapped out in advance as much as they emerged naturally from trying to exist in the world.

“I hope people can feel less alone in the world, knowing that they aren’t the only ones feeling that way and there’s a way out,” he said. “I don’t try to give any answers in my music because life is gray and complex; it’s different for everyone.”

There is also a clear sense of finality around the record. After years of trying to push Tongues of Fire forward through touring, financial strain, and the constant pressure to keep a band visible, Hobbs said getting the album out was the overall goal.

“I’m extremely proud of it, and I have no idea how I’d be able to follow it up,” he said. “I feel like I ended on a high note.”

Tongues of Fire play Star Community Bar in Atlanta on Friday, June 5 at 8 p.m., marking one of the band’s final shows behind the self-titled record.

For more info and to purchase tickets visit : www.freshtix.com/events/tongues-of-fire

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CREDITS :

Interview: Ellen Arden
Editing: Tyler Brune
Photography: Sarah Kelley
© FrequencyATL