Abdomen, the Dutch power trio, have released their new single “Damage Tool,” the opening track from their upcoming album Yes, I Don’t Know. The album is set to release on February 21st via FatCat Records. In addition to the single, the band has also shared a live session video featuring performances of “Fish I,” the title track “Yes, I Don’t Know,” “Weird Shapes,” and “Exhale.”
Abdomen features Roel Meijer on drums, Ate Kamsma on bass, and Peter van Beets on vocals and guitar. While all members come from musical families, only drummer Roel Meijer has formal musical training. Childhood friends Meijer and van Beets reconnected after graduation to form the band.
“Damage Tool” is described as a high-energy track that captures the intensity of Abdomen’s increasingly popular live shows. Of the track, Roel States,
Damage Tool is about feeling unsure, scared and trying to get back in control of yourself. While progressing through changes and uncertainties, finding a way to break through and move on. The song came to life when Roel and Peter began experimenting with guitar/bass noises on an old guitar riff Roel still had, the lyrics paved the way for the song structure.
Abdomen’s upcoming album, Yes, I Don’t Know, was a two-year labour of love, delayed in part by the COVID pandemic. Recorded at Tapetown in Denmark with Rasmus Bredvig, the album’s tracks were meticulously crafted through extensive rehearsals, live performances, and studio experimentation. Bredvig’s influence was particularly significant, with some songs undergoing radical transformations. The lead single, “Dazed,” for example, began as a fast-paced demo. Bredvig’s suggestion to slow it down dramatically—”something like 5 times”—resulted in its evolution into an epic, melodic, psychedelic mantra, complete with chanting vocals and psychedelic guitar work.
While Peter van Beets’ lyrics often draw from personal experience, the band emphasizes the importance of individual interpretation. Though previously described as “angry,” Yes, I Don’t Know explores themes of emotional processing, healing, growth, and moving forward.
