Maybe this is the start of a new post-holiday tradition? A year ago, fleshwater released Sounds of Grieving, an extended play that recontextualized many of the tracks off the highly exciting heavygazers breakthrough debut album, We’re Not Here to Be Loved, through a prism of experimental electronic and dream-pop hues. Ahead of what’s going to be one of their biggest year’s yet (they’ll be opening for Deftones and Mars Volta this spring,) the eastern Massachusetts quintet are dropping something short yet ominous with the official version of the live staple, “Standalone”. As far as we know at this moment, it’s just that — a standalone single — but the brevity in their revving up of metal blades and turbocharged electricity suggests its our first possible glimpse into the energy they’ll be bringing into the New Year. Even if it ends up just holding its own space within the fleshwater releasephere, you can’t argue with the fact that in just one minute and 9 seconds, they restate their intent and purpose through Marisa Shirar’s howl from the deepest voids in a way that awakens the entire nervous system.

Fleshwater’s “Standalone” single is available now on Closed Casket Activities.