By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – Montreal, The intersection of rural isolation and urban density has long provided a fertile ground for the most abrasive forms of artistic expression. For Truck Violence, a band that has rapidly ascended from the underground circles of Montreal to the international stage, this transition is not just a personal history but the very engine of their creative output. Today, the group has officially announced a significant milestone in their career: a new partnership with the esteemed independent label The Flenser. This signing comes alongside the announcement of their highly anticipated sophomore full-length effort, The Weathervane Is My Body, which is scheduled to arrive on June 26. To mark the occasion, the band has shared the record’s lead single, "New Jesus," accompanied by a striking music video directed by Kirill Sommer.
The story of Truck Violence is one of displacement and the subsequent reassembling of identity. The core of the project was forged by guitarist and banjoist Paul Lecours and vocalist-poet Karsyn Henderson. The pair grew up in the remote prairies of Alberta, a landscape defined by its vastness and often crushing quietude. At the age of 17, seeking something beyond the horizon of the plains, they relocated to the bustling metropolis of Montreal. This culture shock—moving from the sparse, open air of the West to the claustrophobic, high-energy environment of Quebec’s largest city—informed the jagged, multidisciplinary sound that would become their hallmark. In Montreal, the duo expanded into a full quartet, recruiting bassist Chris Clegg and drummer Thomas Hart to flesh out their sonic vision.
The band’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric within the niche of heavy, experimental music. Their debut album, Violence, was originally released in 2024 through Mothland, a label known for its curation of psych and experimental acts. The record’s impact was immediate, catching the attention of the legendary Southern Lord label, which eventually gave the album a prestigious vinyl reissue. Critics and fans alike were drawn to the band’s unique fusion of folk-punk sensibilities and the raw, unhinged energy of noisy post-hardcore. By blending the traditional textures of the banjo with the feedback-drenched aggression of modern punk, Truck Violence created a sound that felt both ancient and terrifyingly contemporary.
With their signing to The Flenser, Truck Violence joins a roster famous for hosting artists who occupy the darkest corners of the musical spectrum, such as Chat Pile and Have a Nice Life. It is a fitting home for a band whose upcoming album, The Weathervane Is My Body, is billed as a direct product of the psychological toll of urban relocation. If their debut was an introduction to their chaotic world, the new LP promises to be a deep dive into the anxieties of adjusting to major city life while grappling with a crumbling global political landscape.
The lead single, "New Jesus," serves as a potent manifesto for the band’s current trajectory. In a detailed statement accompanying the release, Karsyn Henderson provided a bleak look into the inspirations behind the track. He describes the song as a "rant" directed at what he perceives as a "blatant fascistic slide" occurring within the United States and reflected through the distorted lens of modern media. The lyrics draw specifically from the aftermath of the January 6th insurrection and the subsequent legal battles surrounding election fraud, including the high-profile ABC-Trump settlement.
Henderson’s commentary goes beyond mere partisan politics, touching on a deeper existential crisis within modern society. He argues that the contemporary political right has abandoned broader moral compulsions in favor of a singular focus on centralizing power. This, he suggests, has birthed a "culture of post-truth," where the value of accuracy is discarded unless it serves to augment one’s political capital. Perhaps most chillingly, Henderson points to a growing sense of apathy among his own generation. He notes that many young people have come to view the acquisition of power and the subsequent dominance over others as an inevitability of nature—a "what will happen, will happen" mentality. This fatalism, he warns, leads people to acclimate to oppressive systems rather than challenge them, seeking to reap whatever small rewards remain in a declining society.
This thematic density is mirrored in the music of "New Jesus." The track is a visceral experience, characterized by Henderson’s poetic yet confrontational vocal delivery and the band’s ability to pivot from atmospheric tension to explosive, dissonant release. The music video, helmed by Kirill Sommer, complements this intensity, offering a visual language that matches the song’s themes of surveillance, propaganda, and the distortion of reality.
The Weathervane Is My Body features a tracklist that suggests a wide-ranging exploration of physical and mental decay. Titles such as "My Dog Would Fuck the Air," "Jaundiced and Reaching for a Mother," and "Stomach as a Tower and the Globules Descending" hint at a fascination with the grotesque and the corporeal. These titles evoke the same sense of visceral discomfort that defined their debut, yet there is a sense of refinement and narrative purpose that suggests Truck Violence has matured significantly since their 2024 breakthrough.
The band’s recent accolades further cement their status as one of the most important new voices in heavy music. They were recently featured as a highlight of the Pitchfork Music Festival London 2025, where their live performance was cited for its raw emotional power and technical precision. Additionally, their debut, Violence, has already been recognized as one of the best albums of 2025 so far, an impressive feat for a band that only recently stepped onto the international stage.
As the June 26 release date for The Weathervane Is My Body approaches, the anticipation continues to build. The album represents more than just a second chapter for Truck Violence; it is a reflection of a specific cultural moment. By channeling the alienation of the prairies and the friction of the city into a critique of modern power structures, the band is doing what the best post-hardcore has always done: speaking truth to power through the medium of noise.
The transition from Mothland to Southern Lord and finally to The Flenser marks a logical progression for a group that refuses to be pigeonholed. Each step has seen them move closer to the center of a global community of listeners who demand music that is both challenging and intellectually stimulating. In a world where "post-truth" has become the norm, Truck Violence is offering something that feels undeniably real—a sonic representation of the fractures in our social fabric.
Fans of the band can expect The Weathervane Is My Body to be available in various formats, with The Flenser likely providing the high-quality physical editions they are known for. For now, "New Jesus" stands as a harrowing preview of what is to come: a record that refuses to look away from the darkness of the present moment, even as it struggles to find a footing in an increasingly volatile world.
The full tracklist for The Weathervane Is My Body is as follows:
- My Dog Would Fuck the Air
- Jaundiced and Reaching for a Mother
- Compelled by Christy
- House Caught Fire
- New Jesus
- Your Name, It’s Walking
- Stomach as a Tower and the Globules Descending
- Gerard, Be Quiet
- Kindly, Wash Yourself
As the summer months approach, Truck Violence is poised to provide the soundtrack for a season of discontent. Their journey from the quiet fields of Alberta to the forefront of Montreal’s noisy elite is a testament to the power of artistic reinvention. With The Weathervane Is My Body, they are no longer just reacting to their environment; they are dissecting it, one distorted chord at a time.