The House Flies return with “Derelict Crawl,” the first single from their forthcoming second album, “Lions and Ore,” arriving November 6, 2026. Released September 4th, 2026, the track immediately establishes a darker, heavier direction for the Moline, Illinois quartet, drawing from post punk, gothic rock, noise rock, shoegaze, and grunge. Rather than relying on conventional immediacy, the song builds its impact through repetition, atmosphere, and controlled tension. Its central refrain, “We don’t belong,” becomes both a lyrical anchor and an emotional statement, giving the track a haunting sense of displacement. There is something deliberately unhurried about the arrangement, yet its steady momentum makes the song impossible to dismiss. It feels like a slow crawl through an abandoned landscape, where every guitar texture and drumbeat adds another layer to the surrounding darkness.
At the foundation of “Derelict Crawl” is a driving rhythm section that gives the song its hypnotic character. Nick Pompou’s drumming maintains a deliberate, heavy pulse, avoiding unnecessary flourishes while keeping the composition moving forward. Beneath it, Ozzie Woods’ bass work provides depth and weight, creating a powerful low end that supports the song’s increasingly dense atmosphere. Alex Riggen and Burnie Eckhardt initially approach the guitars with restraint, using reverberated accents, muted tones, and spacious textures instead of immediately filling every sonic space. That decision proves important because the silence surrounding the instruments becomes part of the arrangement itself. The track gains tension from what it leaves open, making every subsequent guitar swell feel larger and more consequential.
As “Derelict Crawl” progresses, those restrained beginnings gradually transform into a broad, immersive wall of sound. The extended guitar passage becomes one of the track’s defining moments, bringing together feedback, shimmering reverb, distortion, and ambient textures. Instead of functioning as a conventional guitar showcase, the interlude expands the emotional landscape of the song, allowing the tension to accumulate naturally. The production by Ross Mixes, with mastering by Michael Briggs, preserves a strong sense of spatial depth throughout the track. Even when the guitars become increasingly expansive, the kick drum remains distinct and the bass retains its warm presence. That balance allows the heavier sections to feel powerful without sacrificing the atmospheric qualities that define the song.
Riggen’s vocals follow the same progression as the instrumentation. His opening delivery is subdued and detached, sitting comfortably within the darker textures of the verses. There is a restrained quality to his performance that reinforces the song’s feeling of isolation, as though the narrator is observing collapse from somewhere emotionally distant. As the arrangement intensifies, however, his voice becomes increasingly raw and urgent. The transition gives the climax a genuine emotional lift while maintaining melodic control. The repeated “We don’t belong” refrain carries particular weight because it is delivered as a bleak realization rather than a dramatic outburst. Combined with imagery involving dial tones, worn leather, summer heat, and physical deterioration, the lyrics create a world that feels simultaneously familiar and estranged.
What makes “Derelict Crawl” especially effective is its ability to introduce the heavier and more repetitive side of “Lions and Ore” without revealing the entire character of the album. The song operates as a thesis statement, presenting The House Flies’ fascination with longer arrangements, gradual transitions, quiet repetition, and rural gothic atmosphere while retaining a directness that keeps the single accessible. Its influences may recall the stark post punk traditions associated with Protomartyr, Interpol, and Joy Division, but the band’s Midwestern identity gives the material its own character. The House Flies emerged from Moline, Illinois, beginning with the “Glimmer” EP before expanding through the full length “Mannequin Deposit” and the 2025 single “Sweet Foxhound.” Their evolution toward a four piece featuring Riggen, Eckhardt, Woods, and Pompou is particularly significant here, with Eckhardt making his first full album appearance on “Lions and Ore.”
Derelict Crawl Is A Brooding, Hypnotic Descent Into Displacement, Where Dense Guitars, Heavy Rhythms, And Haunting Vocals Create An Immersive, Atmospheric Alternative Experience
~ Faithfulness (Dulaxi Team)
Ultimately, “Derelict Crawl” succeeds because it understands that atmosphere can be just as commanding as volume. The House Flies take a simple rhythmic foundation and gradually surround it with increasingly textured guitars, emotionally controlled vocals, and a sense of spacious darkness. The result is a song that feels magnetic without rushing toward resolution. As the first glimpse of “Lions and Ore,” it establishes an intriguing artistic direction built around heaviness, repetition, and emotional isolation. The House Flies’ distinctly Midwestern blend of post punk, goth rock, shoegaze, grunge, and melodic guitar music makes “Derelict Crawl” a compelling introduction to their next chapter, setting the stage for an album that promises to explore even deeper territory.
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