Frail Body’s newest single, “Devotion” plays as a stunning ebb and flow epic that shows method to their musical chaos. The song is about, “…my mother’s undying Christian faith and what it was like witnessing someone dying coming to terms that their religious beliefs weren’t going to save them from their fate,” Lowell Shaffer (vocals, guitar) laments:
“I was raised Christian and a lot of those beliefs have influenced and informed my decision making and world view to this day. I feel like I’ve followed along on those paths but eventually I began to have some questions about what that kind of faith looks like. Questions like, what if g-d’s plan includes a lot of suffering? Does g-d or whatever entity created matter and energy even understand suffering? People who meet and overcome obstacles often hone their character into humans fit to help and support other humans, therefore is suffering good? What if it is insurmountable, then is it cruel? And what if those stories inspire future generations to do better in the eventual goal of self sustaining human life? Does that equal some sort of universal karmic payoff? And why did my mother who was such a devoted and steadfast servant, get shouldered with decades of physical and emotional pain?”
What do you think of Frail Body’s latest offering, “Devotion”?
The Illinois-based band embodies the spirit and soul of what many define as “screamo;” their songs are lamentations about nihilism, death, anxiety, existentialism and hopelessness of existence in modern American society, and both lyrically and sonically they unfurl with ground-shaking emotion.
Their forthcoming sophomore LP, Artificial Bouquet (March 29, 2024 via Deathwish Inc.), is a shining example that the once dormant sub-genre continues to evolve and thrive for all the world to see.
You can catch Frail Body on tour this March and April (including appearances at SXSW, Roadburn Festival and more).
Frail Body, on tour:
March 3 Peoria, IL @ Slicehub ^
March 4 Kansas City, MO @ Farewell ^
March 5 Tulsa, OK @ Whittier Bar ^
March 6 Oklahoma City, OK @ Sactuary ^
March 7 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves ^
March 8 San Antonio, TX @ B-Side ^
March 9 Houston, TX @ The End ^
March 10 Austin, TX @ Chess Club ^
March 11 Austin, TX @ Austin High Tunnels ^
March 12 Austin, TX @ The Ballroom ^
March 13 Little Rock, AR @ White Water Tavern ^
March 14 Memphis, TN @ Haven Haus ^
March 15 Nashville, TN @ drkmttr ^
March 16 Louisville, KY @ Kaiju ^
April 10 Glasgow, UK @ Garage Attic #
April 11 Leeds, UK @ Boom #
April 12 Bristol, UK @ Crofters Rights #
April 13 London, UK @ Downstairs at the Dome #
April 14 Brighton, UK @ The Hope and Ruin #
April 16 Lille, FR @ Brat Cave &
April 17 Antwerp, BE @ Antwerp Music City &
April 18 Paris, FR @ L’International &
April 20 Tilburg, NL @ Roadburn Festival
April 21 Liege, BE @ La Zone &
April 23 Frankfurt, DE @ Juha West &
April 24 La Chaux-de-Fonds, CH @ Bikini Test &
April 25 Milan, IT @ COX18 &
April 26 Modena, IT @ La Tienda &
April 27 Rome, IT @ RCCB INIT &
^ w/ Heavenly Blue
# w/ Chalk Hands
& w/ Knoll
