Centuries ago, men pummeled one another off the backs of horses, weighed themselves down with suits of armor for protection and died of obscene illnesses whose origins they were unable to trace. Mere decades ago, we took to unseeable forces of energy to create noises the merry bands of the dark ages couldn’t have dreamt of. Today, the two seemingly unrelated phenomena become one. Public Circuit, whether they know it or not, are actively preserving this improbable pairing — one you probably could live without, but didn’t know you needed until now.

“Modern Church” is this modern band’s upcoming release, out everywhere September 12, and just two days ago, we saw the arrival of their latest single, “To The Grave.” Public Circuit’s Sean Holloway and Ethan Biamont were kind enough to answer a few of my questions about the new album, creative process and much, much more.

YY: Ethan wrote, recorded and produced each track on Public Circuit's first album, “Lamb,” with Sean and Nelson later helping to adapt the music to a live setting. But “Modern Church” was a full collaboration. What else can you say about the differences between the processes and outcomes for each album?

SH: In a way, this is Public Circuit’s first album. The songwriting process was different. Ethan brought Nelson and me the demos. I came up with my own parts individually, and we all crafted them together at practice. When it came time to record and mix, Nelson led the production. He worked really hard on it. I just remember him doing seemingly 1,000 mixes while listening to (mostly Ethan’s) insane notes on each track until each song sounded perfect to us all.

It’s a unique way to mix (all 3 of us sitting in Nelson’s apartment barking orders at him), but the album ended up sounding very full and polished. I think it’s fair to say that we all feel very represented and expressed creatively on this record. We put a lot of time into it, and I’m really proud of it as a whole.

EB: What Sean said except about everything being “perfect” haha – if you ask Nelson and I, a lot of the songs are actually not perfect (in a good way), but that’s because we know ourselves to be perfectionists, so to avoid overworking this record, we gave ourselves a hard deadline once everything was recorded and ready to finish every single mix within two months. While the last was more a compilation of songs written over a longer period, this new album was a conscious decision from start to finish. “Modern Church” is a completely different mindset for us.

“Lamb” featured a "stark religious sentiment," a theme repeated on “Modern Church.” What other similarities can listeners expect from the new album, and what will set it apart sonically and/or thematically from your previous album?

EB: I think while “Modern Church” may at first seem to have a sharper religious tone because of its name and track list, this album is a more nuanced, embittered and characterized look into the idea of a “church” or “idol.” These religious themes are only meant to be analogies meant to gift-wrap the album’s messaging. I think the “modern church” is a lot of things. Some people worship government, some their self image, or some lie complacent as the encroaching technocratic AI overlords take over. The question of, “What is your modern church?”

This album is refined; meant to be sharp, icy and immediate. I think we were really trying to nail this juxtaposition between the tight syncopated rhythm section, biting vocals, and explosions of energy that are released in our live performances. I think the album represents both sides of us well, from our more pop inclinations to our penchant for high energy and more biting rhythms.

Do you have a personal favorite track on this album?

SH: “Samson” probably. I also like “Damager” a lot.

EB: I like “Damager.” The shortest song on the album. I think we nail a certain Public Circuit energy on that one.

I understand the band is influenced creatively by the chaos of New York City — what aspects of life in the city shaped what we hear on “Modern Church,” and where else do you find yourselves drawing inspiration from?

SH: NYC is simultaneously the best and worst place for artists. The art scene is really good, and there’s inspiration everywhere, etc., etc. We all know this, and it’s why countless people move here to pursue art. However, living here is such a fucking grind. There’s no space for drums, which makes practicing really hard unless you have a studio. Rent is insane. Groceries are insane. It’s super loud and chaotic all the time, and just existing is hard. It’s my favorite city in the world, but you have to really believe in what you’re doing every day to keep going, especially if you're an artist.

I really believe that obstacles exist to show you how badly you want something. All these trials just motivate me to be great and to succeed. I think the album reflects the relentless vision we have and the grit/tenacity we employ to achieve something meaningful. We don’t stop. We just keep going.

EB: Basically everything Sean said — I’m very inspired by the community of artists and non-artists alike; all the amazing people I am surrounded with in this city. Often, it can feel overwhelming to have NYC-sized expectations and competition laid upon you, but that’s just part of being an artist here I suppose. I think inspiration comes out of those pressurized emotions as well.

A previous interview I read noted your heavy use of the Korg MS-20 — what kind of gear do you feature on “Modern Church” in particular? What is one piece of gear you can't live without?

EB: I was very intentional with the way I wanted us to use drums on this album — specifically rototoms. We picked up a rack of them on tour in Texas for like $70. That along with various random percussive hits sprinkled throughout each song are sort of the main sonic features if I had to pin something down. I want to push the amount of percussion even further with the next release.

I guess I don’t really have a piece of gear that I couldn’t live without. I enjoy putting the MS20 on everything — it’s a pretty perfect synth to me, but I think as long as I have the means to record and produce music, the sounds and instruments are always changing from project to project.

Good music is often helped along by distinct visual themes. How do you think the medieval aesthetic or motif completes the Public Circuit identity?

EB: For me, Public Circuit is a project that encompasses both my visual art and music. As a visual artist, I enjoy crafting imagery that creates a world where the music can live. I think this is the most engaging way for me to personally connect with music and albums especially. I am very inspired by Mark Mothersbaugh who references DEVO as an art project prior to a purely musical group. I think I’m just into good old-fashioned epic-esoteric vibes, or tales of quests. I think people have always liked a good quest story. Knights and medieval imagery were initially the obvious ways to illustrate these ideas, and it’s mostly because I’m a geek and swords and 80s fantasy films are cool.

However, I think my art has found itself shifting into its own world for “Modern Church.” Think less medieval and more a long-lost past that time forgot idk what I’m tryna say just some esoteric bullshit. I find my art evolving along with my music in that way. It’s always a bit of a shared environment when it comes to Public Circuit.

After releasing the new album, Public Circuit has a lot on the horizon — touring in the US and Europe, festival sets — what is the band most looking forward to in the near future?

SH: I’m already really excited to work on our next record. I honestly just love writing music with these babies and I’m excited for everything ahead. Whatever that may be.

EB: I am excited for the European festivals we are slotted to play, and want to play more festivals in 2026. Then, work on the new record and switch up on everyone.