Coilguns release new single Peace Trader
Swiss band Coilguns release their new single Peace Trader today on their own label Humus Records. This new track was recorded by Scott Evans (Thrice, La Dispute, Neurosis) and mixed by Grammy-nominated Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Pixies, Royal Blood). The recording took place at their own headquarters, an old warehouse full of vintage equipment in the centre of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The band also collaborated with Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe, The Armed) for additional overdubs and production. Listen to Peace Trader here.
‘What is the meaning of laws, when our nations negotiate all?’ Coilguns ask in this song. The band explains: “We grew up being told that our country was a safe nest for human rights conventions, a historical hub for humanitarian organizations, a neutral haven for diplomacy, a sheltering home for the needing ones and a centuries-long advocate for peace. Yet the older we get, the more frequently we see this image turn into a Dorian Gray portrait. We recently witnessed our federal representatives minimize dual-use goods exportations or support partial views on major international law violations. We discovered that our asylum system had silently turned into a racist and humiliating discouragement plan, and we still haven't been able to make our international enterprises accountable for their colonialist crimes. Looking back at our school history manuals, we wonder where this whole fairy tale has gone, or if it ever existed, but we’d like to allow ourselves and invite you to keep believing in the idea that a peace-making Switzerland might be one day an actual thing."
Peace Trader had to be both punchy and sad, a song that could carry urgent empathy and hope. It’s also the first song they’re releasing where a bass player was part of the writing process from the very beginning, which had a big impact on how the arrangements came together and how the instruments interact. “It feels like a continuation of Odd Love, but also like the beginning of something new for us.” Watch the video below.
Coilguns, formed in 2011, originally hailed from the DIY hardcore scene and have over the years developed a unique blend of punk and ecstatic noise-rock. The band are known for their raw, uncompromising and euphoric live shows, tailor-made for dancing freaks and crowd-surfing weirdos. Although their first albums were entirely self-produced, recorded and mixed, Coilguns travelled to Oceansound Recordings in Norway in the summer of 2022 to record their fourth studio album Odd Love with producer Scott Evans. Odd Love was released in November 2024 and marked a turning point for the band. It led to their most extensive tour to date, with over 85 shows worldwide in 2025 alone, including festivals like Roadburn and Soulcrusher. Stoked by this unexpected exposure, the band couldn’t wait to write and record new material, and managed to sneak it in between tours. The new tracks were once again recorded by Scott Evans, who this time flew to Switzerland to record the band in their home town.
In May the band will first tour through Mexico before returning to Europe for:
- 16 May - Obsidian Dust festival, Brussel (BE)
- 22 May - Sniester festival, Den Haag
Find all show dates at: coilguns.ch
