Chicago noise-rock band Melkbelly are back with their first new music in over three years. The quartet has shared a 7″ single featuring the tracks “KMS Express” and “Precious Cargo.” Listen to the new songs below (via Exploding in Sound).

According to Melkbelly drummer James Wetzel, “KMS Express” and “Precious Cargo” were created “directly in response to the void of live shows.”

Singer and guitarist Miranda Winters added:

The songs are also about what tethers us to reality. Stuff like—the intense relationships between bandmates, having children, playing shows, love and a bunch of other visceral bullshit. Stuff lost during lockdown that we’re ready to figure out how to get back to now.

It’s been just about four years since Melkbelly’s last studio album, Pith. The band’s snarling 2020 rock album featured the notable tracks “Humid Heart” and “LCR.” Since Pith, Melkbelly have been fairly quiet—in part due to the pandemic interrupting their record release plans—except for a contribution to Simply Having a Wonderful Compilation, a holiday album organized by Father/Daughter and Wax Nine Records featuring Melkbelly’s cover Everclear’s of “Hating You for Christmas.”

Read about Pith on Pitchfork’s list of “The 35 Best Rock Albums of 2020.”