Divine Schism: Civil Villains ‘A Sleeper, Underneath’ album launch

Name: Divine Schism: Civil Villains ‘A Sleeper, Underneath’ album launch
Start: 2026-05-15T19:00:00+01:00
Location: The Library

Schedule

Fri, 15 May, 2026 at 07:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

The Library | Oxford, EN

Delighted to be hosting the album launch for our pals Civil Villains! The noisy trio have played a few shows for us, but now will be headlining the Library for us to help usher their new album A Sleeper, Underneath out into the world. They’ll be playing this show with Nottingham art rockers A-Tota-So, who are touring the UK in May, and delighted to be working with them again on this show.
Supports TBC, but will be a rad night for sure.
Civil Villains are an alt-rock/post-hardcore trio from southern England, known for blending intricate, off-kilter structures with raw, honest emotional weight. After early singles recorded at Brighton Electric with Josh Harrison, the band released their debut EP Snake Oil and later their debut album Motion Sick, recorded with Mike Bannard at Shaken Oak Studios. Their forthcoming second album, A Sleeper, Underneath, marks a shift toward something more open and instinctive. While still rooted in the band’s characteristic contrast — angular guitars, dynamic structures, and unpredictable rhythms — the new material leans into clarity, space, and emotional immediacy. Renowned for their raw live performances, Civil Villains have shared stages with Sparta, Listener, Poly-Math, Bellevue Days, and Kid Kapichi, and have toured independently across the UK and North America, including festival appearances in London, New York, and Quebec City.
A-tota-so are a noisy alt-rock band powered by momentum, collaboration and a refusal to settle into one version of themselves. Known for their visceral live shows and restless creativity, the band have built a reputation on pushing their sound forward rather than looking back.
After years of relentless gigging including multiple performances at festivals such as ArcTanGent, Strangeforms and portals, a-tota-so expanded their world with 2022’s Lights Out. The record leaned fully into collaboration, featuring guest vocalists from across the UK and Irish underground, including God Alone, The St Pierre Snake Invasion, Sans Froid, No Violet, Irk and more.
That approach quickly became central to the live experience. Guest appearances turned from rare moments into a defining feature, with the band sharing stages with 83 different vocalists (and counting) since the album’s release. Over time, that constant exchange reshaped the band from within and pointed toward a new chapter.
Their third album, I Told You So, due in 2026, sees Marty Toner step forward as lead vocalist for the first time as the band lean into a more grungey post-hardcore stance while still remaining true to their atotaso DNA. Recorded during a week-long residency in an old Welsh mill in early 2025 with JT Soar and Snug Recording Co, the album captures a-tota-so at their most direct and ferocious. The album was mixed by Mark Roberts (Black Peaks, Delta Sleep, Vower, Every Hell) and mastered by Stephen Kerrison.