Many can agree that society continues to suffer at the hands of digital decay, hearsay, and overall noise. But who is addressing it as honestly as Dance Gavin Dance?
Continuing their legacy of free expression and rock exploration, the band released “All The Way Down,” the second single from their upcoming album Pantheon. This track, posing the question ‘How far down does the rabbit hole go?’ supports Pantheon’s larger narrative of raw self-reflection. Produced by Kris Crummet and written by the band members and their supporting musicians, this single does not hold back.
Much like an anxiety spiral (or a street race), once the track gets going, it allows for little breathing room. It begins with a Mario Kart-esque buzzer countdown, preparing the listener for the “GO” signal. A jet-fueled cacophony follows, flooding the soundscape with assertive vocals and lightspeed electric guitar arpeggios. Furthermore, the contrast and duetting of screaming, scratchy vocals with more melodic parts illustrate the bold theme with a relentless energy. Doubling down on the chaos while inserting cynical self-awareness, the pre-chorus lyrics stick out in particular:
I was meant to suffocate in my own art (I could be a phenomenon) / But the strength of the medium’s falling apart.
Dance Gavin Dance feels they should innately and willfully be consumed by the art they’re creating. Still, society’s depreciation of the arts takes away that once-coveted and personal “tortured artist” glamor. Lead guitarist Will Swan touches more on the band’s songwriting process in our recent interview with him:
Expanding on “All The Way Down,” their 11th studio album, Pantheon, intends to address the ups and downs of the band’s 10+ year career, including the various identity changes and successes they’ve had. Through 13 emotionally and sonically textured tracks, they aim to capture the modern world’s sense of uncertainty and transform it into a sense of perseverance, as the band has done in the face of recent tragedy.
Dance Gavin Dance experienced a change in lineup when bassist Tim Feerick passed unexpectedly. Maintaining their core value of gratitude, they took this passing as a push to turn a new leaf in their creative journey, learning to re-arrange friendship and band roles. Thus, Pantheon was born.
This mature musical sensibility not only comes from such emotional events, but also from years of funk, metalcore, post-hardcore, and alt-punk exploration; in other words, leaving no stone unturned in the world of rock. Dance Gavin Dance’s loyal fanbase knows this better than anyone. Such fans sold out more than four dates on the band’s recent North American tour, “Return Of The Robot Tour” and came out in numbers to their fourth annual “Swanfest” featuring supporting acts Glassjaw, Animals As Leaders, The Fall Of Troy, Kurt Travis, The Home Team, Belmont, and Dwellings.
For those seeking a freeing alt-rock journey of the heart and surrounding world, Pantheon will be ready to deliver on September 12th, 2025. Pre-save the album now on streaming sites and pre-order an exclusive 2LP set via Dance Gavin Dance’s merch store.
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