Attack Attack! Drummer Andrew Wetzel Talks New Album, Future Plans

"The record is really about the four members of the band," Attack Attack! drummer Andrew Wetzel tells Noisecreep about 'This Means War,' the group's brand new album. "In the story, we've created another universe where the band members are soldiers and we've gone off to fight in a war. We then come to find out the organization that we were fighting for has somehow grown extremely unpopular, and now everyone hates us.

"It's definitely a metaphor for what happened to Attack Attack! in the last few years. We were out being a touring band, thinking that we were going to change everything, and do all of this cool stuff. Then you come home and everyone treats you differently – like they didn't know who you were anymore. There's also that element of the four of us against the world on the album," says Wetzel.

Just last week, Noisecreep premiered the video for 'The Wretched,' the first single from 'This Means War.' "Caleb [Shomo, vocalist] decided he wanted to use the word "the," and then another word, for each song title. You can look at it like chapters in a book, or acts in a play. The whole album is just one story, and each track just breaks down a section of the overall story. So Caleb really wanted a direct way to explain what each song was about," explains the drummer.

When Noisecreep asked Wetzel how he felt 2011 went for Attack Attack!, he gave a refreshingly candid answer. "Well, we made it through an entire year without a lineup change. That was definitely huge for us [laughs]. It's just nice knowing it's down to the four of us, and that's probably how it's going to stay forever. We actually didn't do much of anything last year, besides the touring we did. We played Warped Tour and crushed! We had a great time. It was actually nice to hang out at home and be normal people for a while."

Even though 'This Means War' just hit stores this week, Wetzel says we can all expect new Attack Attack! music in the not-so-distant future. "This past November, we flew out to Los Angeles to work with John Feldmann (The Used, Story of the Year). That stuff will be for our next album. I don't think that will be out for at least another 9-12 months."

Attack Attack!'s 'This Means War' is available now via Rise Records.