Just as the first “Hello World” ushered in Hotel of the Laughing Tree’s sonic introduction on their debut EP, so too does “Hello World Pt. 2” serve as a reintroduction to the group after eight years of stagnation. And for long-time fans, it’ll definitely be a surprise.

“We really wanted to press into our progressive metal influence a bit more this time around and see how it played into our existing mix,” lead vocalist AJ Estrada explained. “We’re all big fans of Dillinger Escape Plan, Between the Buried and Me, Protest the Hero, stuff like that. We’ve never really stayed in one place, and we definitely were revitalized going back and listening to some of these older records while working on Faraway Friends.” The band are set to release their latest efforts into the world on April 28, but it’s clear to see that between this song and “Mirrors Up”, the band have created a captivating collage of influences across the entire musical spectrum.

“It’s personally not my favorite track on the new record,” guitarist Brandon Peterson commented. “The other guys insisted we keep it. I really tried to capture the raw aggression of some of our earlier songs here to really pay tribute to where we started, but I think things really start to pick up halfway through the record.”

Beyond the track’s indomitable ferocity, the single’s artwork pays home to Old Dominion with a bolder personality and a bit of spice – the perfect combination for a band that’s pressing into bold new territory. It’s yet to be seen if the band will find the crossover audience they’re aiming for, but it definitely seems like there’s potential. Be sure to keep up with the band on Instagram and Bandcamp for more news soon!