When No Echo last checked in with Gottlieb back in 2024, the band was working through lineup changes and trying to build momentum in and out of their Los Angeles homebase. Since then, the politically charged outfit has linked up with Quiet Panic (Filth Is Eternal, Mugger) for the release of its forthcoming album, The Far Fallen Fruit, a record shaped by direct confrontation with the realities of life in 2020s America. Frontman Andrew Pescara spoke with No Echo about how the partnership came together, why the new material feels especially timely, and why he believes hardcore still needs more conviction and less posturing.
The band’s new material arrives at a time when political tension feels unavoidable, and for Pescara, those themes aren’t abstract. “Yeah, Dylan (bassist) and I got tear-gassed last week,” he says. “Being an anti-fascist band has gotten a lot more real since we first got together. The fact that our words keep aging so well is as alarming as it is validating.”
One of the record’s key tracks, “Pipe Bomb,” was written during the writers’ strike and economic instability of 2023–2024, a period that left a deep impression on the band.
“We clashed with the studio system, the police who claim to ‘protect and serve’ the people. It's clear now that we lost. Our livelihoods died at the hands of oligarchs. They are selling what’s left for parts now…it was like a practice lap of the collapse we're all going through today.”
The song’s opening line—“nothing more dangerous than a failed artist?”—is central to the album’s message. “It’s a quote attributed to Erica Jong, and a thesis for both ‘Pipe Bomb’ and the album,” Pescara says. “She was describing Hitler, and the trend of failed artists defaulting to fascism—Ben Shapiro, Andrew Tate. I'm sure a dozen failed comics come to mind.” He connects that idea to the broader economic reality facing younger generations. “What’s so dangerous now is that our entire generation is ‘failed artists.’ No one can afford a home or a stable life. How many extremists will that produce? How long until these masses—these millions of homemade bombs—ignite?”
Featuring cinematography by Luis Cruz, the music video for "Pipe Bomb" can be seen below. For Gottlieb, the song flips that narrative back toward those in power. “So, ‘Pipe Bomb’ is us co-opting Jong’s quote to describe how this trend could be aimed at the people responsible, not immigrants, not the working class. But the top 1%. ‘The factory that produces failed artists…the system that makes them.’”
Rather than chasing labels, Gottlieb found themselves in conversation with Quiet Panic almost by accident. According to Pescara, the connection started through their European booking contacts and quickly turned into something more meaningful. “QP got a hold of our album demo through our EU booker,” he explains. “I don't think we even met under the pretense of a record deal, but the partnership blossomed super organically from a phone call.”
The band was cautious about any potential deal, especially given their DIY mindset and the themes they explore in their music. “We're pretty protective over our work, and had no problem saying ‘no’ to everyone and releasing it ourselves…we've even written songs about ‘record deal whores,’” he says. “But we found ourselves talking to Ryan [Hoffman] and Marc [Maxey] every day, and saw them advocating for our message before we even had something on paper.” What ultimately sealed the deal wasn’t paperwork—it was action. “People promise a lot of shit—but they were actually doing things, and teaching us. So partnering with them was a no brainer. Having backing is great, but their sense of thoughtfulness, urgency, and advocacy…you can't promise that in a contract.”
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The Far Fallen Fruit will be out May 1st via Quiet Panic (pre-order).
Gottlieb on social media: Instagram
Tour dates:
Los Angeles, CA - 2/22 @ The Echo
Tacoma, WA - 3/13
Corvallis, OR - 3/14
Long Beach, CA - 3/28
Sacramento CA - 4/7 @ Cafe Colonial
San Francisco, CA - 4/8 @ Kilowatt
Ventura County, CA - 4/9
San Diego, CA - 4/10 @ Tower Bar
Tijuana, MX - 4/11
Tagged: gottlieb
