Reptilian Arms returned to "Lie Awake" with more rehearsal behind them and a studio they already trusted. The San Jose death/sludge band's new recording, released on October 27, 2026, revisits a song from The Set Demo. It introduces The Set EP, a set of re-recordings due on December 1, 2026.
Guitarist Marcus Przyborowski describes the decision as a chance to capture the band's improved playing while keeping the music substantially intact. Their intervening EPs had established a working relationship with District Recordings in San Jose, making it the natural place to revisit the demo. The release calendar also gave "Lie Awake" a particular job: its haunted atmosphere suited Halloween. Przyborowski explains that choice below, along with the much less solemn reason another song in the sequence belongs near Thanksgiving. The player features the new studio recording.
Three questions
(1) Doomnation Radio: What made "Lie Awake" the song you chose to introduce The Set EP with?
Marcus Przyborowski: We dropped "Lie Awake" first so we could release it around Halloween. This track has by far the most haunted atmosphere off The Set EP. We also just love how big and epic it sounds, and wanted to lead off with something to chew on.
(2) DR: When you returned to "Lie Awake" after The Set Demo, which decision from the original recording did you most want to revisit?
Przyborowski: Much like all the songs from The Set Demo, we really wanted to give it the recording it deserves. Our last two EPs "Extensa Fabula" and "The Pain EP" were both recorded at District Recordings in San Jose. Ryan over there did such an amazing job with those two, it was obvious that we needed to re-record our demo with him.
From a musicality stance, there wasn't much that we wanted to change. We had become more well rehearsed, and we wanted to capture that with the new recording.
(3) DR: How did you choose the order in which to release the individual tracks ahead of the EP?
Przyborowski: We mainly wanted to release "Lie Awake" near Halloween and "Invaders' Advancement" near Thanksgiving because they fit thematically (or maybe ironically). Lie Awake is a dark, brooding, and sinister track, crafted from feelings of dread and fear. Invaders' is a song about aliens. Seemed fitting.
The other three songs "Slow Kill", "Proclamation of Fire", and "Lapidatus" follow the order from The Set Demo. Once all the songs are out, they will play in the same order as The Set Demo.
Listen to Reptilian Arms's "Lie Awake".
