At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, for… Read Full Bio ↴At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band most recently consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (drums) and Keeley Davis (guitar, vocals). After several early line-up changes, the band solidified into a five-piece, consisting of Bixler-Zavala, Rodríguez-López, Jim Ward, Hinojos and Hajjar. At the Drive-In released three studio albums and five EPs before breaking up in 2001. Their third and final album before their split, 2000's Relationship of Command, received a number of accolades and is cited as a landmark recording. Following the breakup, Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López formed the Mars Volta while Ward, Hinojos, and Hajjar formed Sparta. At the Drive-In reunited in January 2012 and played the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, as well as the 2012 Lollapalooza Festival. In 2016, the band reunited for a second time, with guitarist and occasional lead vocalist Jim Ward no longer participating. He was replaced by Sparta's Keeley Davis. The band released their fourth studio album, in•ter a•li•a, in 2017. At the Drive In headlined the Neon Desert Music Festival in 2018 in El Paso, Texas. The band announced an indefinite hiatus in November 2018.

Holtzclaw
At the Drive-In Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴

I got your city by the shortest crosshairs
I'll never take no, no for an answer, it's a bottomless cyst
And all you eagles dressed in parallax drag
You'll find between my teeth a dagger and a penalty
My teeth a dagger and a penalty of crows for blood
Nothing's going to stop us from twisting that cross in your heart

Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag

Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back, put the snakes back, back in the bag

I can't miss fast enough, fast enough to win
I'll never take no, no for an answer, it's a bottomless cyst
Comply through compression, I want to know your every move
We'll never take no, no for an answer
No, no forget it, it's Chinatown
Nothing's gonna stop us from twisting that cross in your heart

Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back, put the snakes back, back in the bag

Haystack of needles trying to comprise
Turn the little splinters into black passports
The future is heathen and we want you to know your hope
Is a worthless currency

Throw them overboard, float the armory
Mitigate your faith with decadence
Merit to the torment you don't want to believe in hope
The worthless currency

All your symptoms, all your thoughts I will control
Nothing's going to stop us, nothing's going to stop us now
All your symptoms, all your thoughts I will control
Nothing's going to stop us, nothing's going to stop us now

Are you an asset or are you a problem?

Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back in the bag

Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back, put the snakes back, back in the bag

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Holtzclaw" by At the Drive-In delve into themes of manipulation, control, and resistance against oppressive forces. The opening lines, "I got your city by the shortest crosshairs, I'll never take no, no for an answer, it's a bottomless cyst," suggests a sense of power and determination. The singer seems to have a stronghold on the city and refuses to back down.

The imagery of "eagles dressed in parallax drag" perhaps signifies deceptive appearances of authority or strength. The mention of a dagger and a penalty of crows for blood symbolizes aggression and consequences. The repeated phrase "Nothing's going to stop us from twisting that cross in your heart" conveys a relentless pursuit of causing harm or instigating change.

The chorus, "Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag," evokes a sense of turmoil or deceit within a seemingly sacred institution. The snakes could represent treachery or deceit that needs to be contained. The repetition emphasizes the ongoing struggle and the need to address underlying issues.

The latter part of the lyrics delve into themes of cynicism and disillusionment. References to "the future is heathen" and "worthless currency" suggest a bleak outlook on society and individuals. The lines about controlling symptoms and thoughts hint at a manipulative or authoritarian figure exerting influence over others. The question posed at the end, "Are you an asset or are you a problem?" speaks to a dehumanizing perspective where individuals are reduced to their utility or hindrance.

Overall, "Holtzclaw" paints a complex picture of power dynamics, resistance, and the insidious nature of control. The lyrics invite listeners to question authority, confront manipulation, and challenge oppressive forces in order to reclaim agency and autonomy.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Cedric Bixler, Keeley Dixon Davis, Antoine Hajjar, Paul Hinojos, Omar Alfredo Rodriguez

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01No Wolf Like the Present3:39

02Continuum4:02

03Tilting at the Univendor3:26

04Governed by Contagions3:27

05Pendulum in a Peasant Dress3:41

06Incurably Innocent3:27

07Call Broken Arrow4:11

08Holtzclaw3:49

PT3M49S

At the Drive-In

09Torrentially Cutshaw3:12

10Ghost-Tape No. 94:15

11Hostage Stamps3:53

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

indicaster

6y↑1

LETRAS

I got your city by the shortest crosshairs
I'll never take no, no for an answer, it's a bottomless cyst
And all you eagles dressed in parallax drag
You'll find between my teeth a dagger and a penalty
My teeth a dagger and a penalty of crows for blood
Nothing's going to stop us from twisting that cross in your heart

Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back, put the snakes back, back in the bag

I can't miss fast enough, fast enough to win
I'll never take no, no for an answer, it's a bottomless cyst
Comply through compression, I want to know your every move
We'll never take no, no for an answer
No, no forget it, it's Chinatown
Nothing's gonna stop us from twisting that cross in your heart

Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back, put the snakes back, back in the bag

Haystack of needles trying to comprise
Turn the little splinters into black passports
The future is heathen and we want you to know your hope
Is a worthless currency

Throw them overboard, float the armory
Mitigate your faith with decadence
Merit to the torment you don't want to believe in hope
The worthless currency

All your symptoms, all your thoughts I will control
Nothing's going to stop us, nothing's going to stop us now
All your symptoms, all your thoughts I will control
Nothing's going to stop us, nothing's going to stop us now

Are you an asset or are you a problem?

Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over 'til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back in the bag
Church ain't over, over
'Til they put the snakes back, put the snakes back, back in the bag

All comments from YouTube:

soth1 sol

6y↑33

i'll never understand people who have even the slightest problem with this album.

MP

3y↑1

You have to remember guitar based music is on life support. Music critics follow trends, and the trend now is soulless and derivative synth based nonsense, so to them ATDI is old news and not "vital."

Jac63

It's just one more hardcore record. Of course good record but No more: nothing new under the sun! For me Hardcore is now part of the past. I've loved this kind of shit 20 years ago when I was young but maybe it's time now to make others things for all these bands. 😁

Jeff Everett

7y↑7

This album has so much meaning too it. Its an album i respect tremendously.

Bananaemon

4y↑5

THIS song is so AWESOOOOOME

Sean DeSouza

7y↑5

I think people who grew up with them Circa1990s will appreciate this song, "No Wolf like the Present", and "Call Broken arrow" as these songs recreate that same energy and intensity that we remember from ATDI. Everything else is ok but won't give you that nostalgia, if that's what you're looking for.

Shawn Rakar

7y↑4

Sean DeSouza I agree and disagree because this new album is SOLID! NOT ONE BAD SONG ON IT! Tilting at the Unilever and this song are pretty nostalgic as well.

Hhhhhh

6y↑1

Governed by Contagions has some of that too, albeit with a bit of Mars Volta mixed in

Abomination Desolation

6y↑6

"Daniel Ken Holtzclaw is a former Oklahoma City Police Department patrol officer who was convicted in December 2015 of multiple counts of rape, sexual battery, forcible oral sodomy, and other charges. "

indicaster

6y↑1

Medusa

7y↑2

Wow ! Still alive .. thanks ATDI ..

arthur rogers

7y↑5

At the drive in! Cheers

Sandrine

7y↑2

GOOOOOOD <3

Alexandre St-Louis

7y↑19

I'm the 520th.. this is serious rock'n roll, just like in 1997 when I was 13

Bola Esquerda

5y↑1

I was 16.

Carlos M. Muñoz Ramirez

I was 12 in 1997, kusos to a better line dude! Haha!

Drop Therapy

I was -6 back in 1997.

TJ

Hmm. I was 24.

Jack Lennepkade

7y↑6

CHURCH AINT OVA OVA

Bola Esquerda

5y↑1

Tomorrow in The Brazil show.

Carlos M. Muñoz Ramirez

Hey ol hades-zeus, "CLAW to the stone!!!! ...So cute!" Ba-bye!

Good Poob

7y↑7

at the drive in

more like

at the drive tru

Oto Ivanovský

conxracional

Nobody

7y↑1

First bitvh

Jesse Fillmore

7y↑10

I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this but this album is repetitive . I keep hearing a bad attempt to recreate Relationship of Command . I think what broke ATDI up in the early 2000's is what made them great . Ward was a big part in the ATDI sound . Jim , Omar and Cedric together created the sound of progressiveness and melody . The songs would be time signature madness with great sing along melodies . On this record I'm hearing bad attempt to be ATDI in the early 2000's without a key members . The drums parts are so repetitive in the way they are played and feel .

Molotov Milkshake

7y↑8

It would have been better with Jim. However, Keeley is a great replacement and brings plenty to the plate. This album is awesome, but sure it would have been better with Jim. Hey ho, I'm not gonna complain.

Indo Bule

7y↑2

It's early days, i will give it one hundred listens first before i finally decide, but at this stage yeah it does seem to sound all very similar and feels like there is something missing?

Jesse Fillmore

7y↑1

At the Drive in could have took over the world in 2000 but all the hard work paid off just a lil too late cause this band had ran it's course . The collection of work they had before the break up is still some of the best . I was 20 years old when i heard Relationship of Command . It fueled my drive to become a great musician cause that album was so fresh and new and in your face , the music scene needed ATDI . It's been 17 years since 2017 since Relationship of Command and it was the sound track for most of ATDI fan's lives . This album cannot do what ROC did so why even try to approach the album the same way !? I think ATDI should have made a studio masterpiece that incorporated all the tricks of recording . They should had made a album that makes you want to turn the lights off and smoke a joint and reflect . Too me Cedric is doing too much screaming for a man his age . i feel they should have packed the album with more thought than being screamed at .

Hey Hackurs

7y↑1

@RetrOhio
Honestly I would love a more minimal ambient/dub fused post-hardcore record with sounds similar to that of which was on the "Vaya" ep. "Rascuache" was one of their best songs imo just because it merged experimental post-rock/ambient with more aggressive fugazi-like post-hardcore. The dissonance between each instrument flowed through to create an air of restraint that felt like it increased the tension, rather than reduce (which is what i find is the problem with songs where they go all out and make arena-rock esque songs). The large cathedral-like echo sounding production also helped in setting that mood. I also love the reggae/dub elements that they added to Proxima Centauri and Ursa Minor as well. I think this is a good new starting point for the band and I hope they work on expanding and refining their sound.