Exclusive album premiere of ‘Gold on Hold’ by Sybris, available on LP, CD and digital via Absolutely Kosher Records on September 6th, 2024.

Sybris is back, and their long-lost third album ‘Gold on Hold’ is finally seeing the light of day, 12 years after it was recorded. A time capsule of what alternative rock could have been, the album blends post-punk grit with a gothic heart, showcasing the band at their most inventive. Lead single ‘Dead’ is a defiant anthem that perfectly captures the band’s dark humor and sharp edge. Angela Mullenhour’s unmistakable voice shines throughout, casting a spell that feels both timeless and fresh. ‘Gold on Hold’ is more than just a comeback—it’s a must-hear gem that was almost lost to time. Recorded back in 2011, ‘Gold on Hold’ could have been the album that redefined the band and possibly the direction of alternative rock. Instead, it became a bittersweet legend, a “what if” that haunted fans and the band alike. But now, thanks to the relaunch of Absolutely Kosher Records, it’s finally here. And the wait? Worth every second.

“Sybris was always real creatively breezy”

After a 15-year hiatus, ‘Gold on Hold’ is finally seeing the light of day. What was it like revisiting these tracks after so long, and did you feel any urge to update or change them, or was preserving the original spirit more important?

Angela Mullenhour: Hearing these tracks after over a decade was a real trip. When the idea was brought up about releasing it, I didn’t even have a way to listen to it anymore, and my memories of making it were all jumbled up and a little twisted. We recorded ‘Gold on Hold’ at a pretty tumultuous time in my life, and I had kind of lumped it in with all the other scary/sad stuff and stored it safely in “my past” — so hearing it was emotional as hell and also an extremely pleasant surprise that it was really good. There really wasn’t an opportunity to update anything, and it felt like it could be an annoying can of worms, and it didn’t really feel right anyway. A couple of songs we recorded didn’t end up making it onto the record in the end because my vocal performance sucked, and re-recording the vocals didn’t feel in the spirit of the whole thing.

<a href="https://sybris.bandcamp.com/album/gold-on-hold">Gold on Hold by Sybris</a>

Your music has been described as existing in a bubble between Nirvana and electronica. How do you balance those influences with the unique sound that Sybris has cultivated over the years?

Sybris was always real creatively breezy. Anytime we “set out” to make a song in a specific style, it just ended up sounding like us. An example: the song ‘Horny’ on GoH started as us trying to be garage rock, which was all the rage in Chicago 15 years ago. That song sounds nothing like garage rock. We just did whatever, and when it felt right, we knew.

‘Stag Party’ is a standout with its D&D anthem vibe. Was there a particular moment or experience that inspired this track, and how does it connect with the band’s collective personality?

I feel like ‘Stag Party’ most accurately reflects our collective tastes — we like scary and pretty and sad and mostly rock.

Angela, your voice has been called “unlike anything else in modern music.” How do you maintain that distinctive edge in your vocal style, especially with so much time passing between albums?

I’ve never heard this about my voice — that’s quite a compliment. All I can say is it’s pretty mysterious to me. I don’t know where it comes from or how I can still do it. I feel really grateful to have been able to just feel it for over 20 years of my life in all kinds of projects and on all kinds of songs. Sybris is really what brought this voice out of me in the first place, so it’s been extra special for me to connect with and sing these songs.

With Absolutely Kosher Records relaunching and taking a chance on ‘Gold on Hold,’ what was it like to reconnect with Cory Brown, and how did that conversation reignite the band’s journey?

There’s no way we would’ve just started playing together again after so long, out of the blue. Cory’s call definitely got the ball rolling with all of that. It’s a very unique experience to be able to revisit a chapter of your past that you had long since considered gone. I’m wildly grateful for this. It’s been healing for me personally, kind of making friends with past Angela, who I was pretty resentful of in a lot of ways. It’s been cool, and I thank Cory for putting the opportunity in front of us.

<a href="https://sybris.bandcamp.com/album/gold-on-hold">Gold on Hold by Sybris</a>

Tell us about some of the strongest memories from recording and producing the album.

My memories are a little scrambly — recording at Wave Burner in Port Clinton, Ohio, felt very homey, and there were boats everywhere as it is a dry dock marina. Lots of wandering around the boats. Dalton Brand, the owner of the studio, had an assistant or maybe he was just a friend, and I can’t remember his name, but we called him “boat dude.” I want to say he was some kind of ship captain. At any rate, he gave me a “first mate” shirt, and I still have that. Shawn and Clayton were also listening to Deadmau5 a lot and trying to convince Phil and me that it was good. I still don’t get it. Not sure where Phil stands.

Sybris has always been praised for having both a unique sound and strong songwriting. When writing for ‘Gold on Hold,’ how did you approach the balance between crafting catchy, well-crafted songs and maintaining that distinct sonic identity?

Like I said, we just let things happen. My memories don’t always serve me accurately, but writing came easily to us, and we didn’t overthink too much — perhaps sometimes to our detriment. I’ve always written a lot of poetry. I love a good turn of phrase, and Sybris is just easy to fit words into.

‘Dead’ was your first single to announce your return, and its title is quite bold. What statement were you trying to make with this track, and how does it set the tone for the rest of the album?

It’s a catchy jam, that’s really it.

Looking back at the last decade, what do you think the band has learned or gained from that time apart, and how has it shaped the way you approach music and collaboration today?

Us playing together again feels like life bonus stuff, and I think we approach it in a much more joyous way, with more gratitude and humility as we have learned that life will not stop life-ing itself at you, and it’s not always fun times rock ‘n’ roll. Just enjoying doing it and not trying so hard to do it or make it. Being able to reconnect with your old-school homies and rock out is a rare gift in this lifey-ass life. I think we’re a much better band now than we were 15 years ago — how’s that for humility? Ha.