The first 2020 release from Newphasemusic. A unique, rhythmic, eloquently narrated and brutal voyage through what happened when fascist politics strangled a political party and metastasized into a nation-wide plague.

First potentially considered for another album when it emerged in 2010, Carnival Junkie seeded what would become THE PRECEDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES when, one dark day in November 2016, the American situation went awry. So Much To Lose and Secret Code quickly followed in the winter of 2016/17, the former becoming an advance single in September 2017. Egg on Face was initially an outro for Carnival Junkie but came into its own to become another song, though not another track--they remain married, just as fascism leads its adherents directly to hateful ideologies. And so the original EP was envisioned.

2018 brought the opportunity to work with Ahp00k to develop a live show. During that time, as the national situation deteriorated, O.P.P.O.S.E.R. took shape. Division By Zero was born soon after, as lyrics--something that rarely happens in the Newphasemusic camp--and was largely a collaborative effort that incorporated Ahp00k's guitar work. Division By Zero was released in June 2019. A dual solo effected by both Daniel and Ahp00k was also captured for Carnival Junkie during a practice. These tracks were the initial template for many future Newphasemusic collaborations. Soon after the 2018 performances, Ahp00k moved on and live performances were put on hold.

Finishing the EP became more and more difficult, as there was no end of things to write about--but a line was drawn after the contender for a new national anthem, Tick Tick Bang, was written and final mixing/mastering commenced. The 2020 pandemic made it easy to focus on studio work, and after a Twitch listening party on May 30th that made its way to YouTube, THE PRECEDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES EP was completed and released on July 5th, 2020.

THE PRECEDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES EP is a musical work and a huge accomplishment, but more importantly it is a chronicle. Nothing was surprising about 2016. The journey began in the 1960s and steadily marched along for almost 60 years. Carnival Junkie's lyrics were drafted in 2010 and barely needed any changes in 2020... because generational blueprints barely need any. Perhaps this will help you cope with it all, as it has me.

To try to offset all this damage, all proceeds from this work have, and will continue to, be donated to the ACLU. Enjoy. Resist.

~Daniel

p.s. That was my word. Now here is a take from KillTheMusic.net:
"Harkening back to industrial style projects of the late 20th century (Ministry's album "Twitch" most comes to mind, with a little bit of 90's Butthole Surfers' indifference and swagger), but with a more modern twist, NewPhaseMusic offers cold vocals, almost inhuman and detached, over tight synth-laden backdrops.

Samples poke through the mix, be it bits of dialogue or musical hits and blips, accenting themes of stark realism and dissidence. What really sets this album aside from other electronic projects, that can sometimes be too stiff and lifeless, is project mastermind Daniel Henderson's frenetic drumming throughout. It is the centerpiece of the album, bringing a human energy, and severity, to each tense moment.

And "The Precedents of The United States of America" is a tense listen; each track is a slow build, with bombastic pay off after bombastic pay off. It's a patient journey at times, with some tracks reaching over the six minute mark, but this album offers much more than most modern "political" tracks attempt to, because each track has real substance, not on shock value or opportunism."

some other feedback:
"Awesome!! Made me feel like I was in an industrial dystopian nightmare with a cool soundtrack. Or maybe that backdrop is just what’s happening right now."