Dysrhythmia’s Kevin Hufnagel Explains Why They’ll Never Add a Vocalist

New York technical post rock outfit Dysrhythmia don't want a frontman, nor do they need one. Since the band's conception, guitarist Kevin Hufnagel and drummer Jeff Eber have scoffed at the suggestion they add a singer to their ranks, because, in essence, Dysrhythmia is a reaction to everyone's expectations of what rock music should be.

"It's just nothing I have any interest in with this band," he told Noisecreep recently. "It's nothing against working with singers. Its just, with this band, the intention was to be instrumental, and a lot of that came from being into bands that I thought were really good musically, but suffered because of the vocals. I'd just think, 'Man, if only they didn't have this terrible vocalist, it would be way cooler.' That was the inspiration to start this band."

Hence, he's never expected Dysrhythmia - which also features Behold... The Arctopus guitarist Colin Marston on bass - would ever become more than what it is now; a band with a rabid underground following, comprised of people who value musicianship above gifted pipes. But then again, Hufnagel wouldn't mind being more popular.

"We never expected this band to be a career," he says. "I hate that word, because it implies that it's your job, and it's what you have to do to make money. I would love if this band did have some sort of breakthrough, where suddenly, there was a bunch of people who heard our music and loved it, and we were able to live off that and have a larger fanbase and continue on. That's sort of just a fantasy. What matters is that we're happy with the music that we're making, and I feel really good about how we've progressed as a band over the years, from album to album. I'm also glad to say I'm happy playing with the people I play with, and there's still a good vibe in the band."

On July 7, Relapse Records will release 'Psychic Maps,' Dysrhythmia's latest studio offering. He thinks the record is the band's most intense to date, and can't wait to tour the record this September and October. Still, he can't help but think about the follow-up, he admits.

"The biggest challenge to being in this band is every time we finish an album," Hufnagel explains. "It's been like this since the beginning. It's been a real challenge, once an album is finished, to sort of start anew. You start thinking, 'What are we going to do with the next album, and how are we going to build upon what we've already done, and keep it interesting?' So far, though, I feel like we keep pushing it further and further, and we're happier and happier with the results. And now, it's on to the next challenge. It's a good challenge, I think. The day I feel we're not up to the challenge, the band will stop, and so far, we're still going for it."