Somewhere between Melbourne’s suburban outskirts and the streets of Los Angeles, Darren Cordeux had an epiphany. Nearly two decades after the release of Hymns for the Nonbeliever – Kisschasy’s ARIA Top 5, gold-certified second album, released in 2007 – he found himself dusting off the record to prep for a tour that was never in the plan. “It struck me,” he admits, “just how proud I was of what we did back then. I didn’t expect that.”

Originally, the band’s reunion was only supposed to be for Good Things Festival. But the chemistry proved too strong to ignore.

Now, Kisschasy are back with their original lineup, a national tour celebrating Hymns, a brand-new single titled “Lie to Me” (out now), and, quietly simmering in the background, an entire album’s worth of new material.

This isn’t some nostalgia-fuelled cash-in – for Cordeux, it’s personal. After walking away at their peak in 2015, he’s determined not to return unless the new songs meet the same standard they set before their breakup. “We didn’t want to insult our fans,” he says. “We didn’t want to dilute this little thing we’d built.”

That commitment to authenticity has always driven Kisschasy – even when it meant calling it quits. After releasing three albums and earning a reputation as one of Australia’s most consistent live rock acts, the band quietly disbanded. But it wasn’t due to drama, ego clashes or burnout – it was about integrity.

“We didn’t want to put out new music that wasn’t as good as what we’d already done,” Cordeux says. “I’d written a bunch of songs that were meant for a fourth album, but when we sat down and listened, we all agreed – it didn’t have that thing that made Kisschasy special.”

Rather than risk becoming a band that faded out with a whimper, they chose to bow out on a high note. “We didn’t want to milk it. We wanted to protect what we’d built.”

By the time Hymns for the Nonbeliever dropped in 2007, Kisschasy had already put in the hard yards, touring relentlessly, cutting their teeth on triple j’s airwaves, and steadily building a fanbase off the back of their 2005 debut United Paper People. Hymns was angrier, more politically charged, and eerily cohesive – pulling threads of frustration, disillusionment, and melody into anthemic choruses that still resonate today.

But even Cordeux’s not sure what made Hymns connect the way it did. “It had a lot to say. It was a very complete record – from the lyrics and artwork to the repeated words that show up in different songs. It was all authentic. We weren’t trying to be clever about it,” he reflects.

And yet, it worked. Seventeen years later, “Spray on Pants” still blares from supermarket speakers, and Gen Z fans sing along at festivals. “That’s mind-blowing to me,” Cordeux admits. “It’s all you can really ask for as a songwriter – that something you wrote outlives you.”

That Good Things reunion in 2022 changed everything. When the band met to rehearse United Paper People for the first time in years, it was over in less than an hour. “We were booked for three days; we were done in 40 minutes,” Cordeux laughs. “It was perfect. We were like, ‘Holy shit. We’re a good rock and roll band.’”

That rehearsal reawakened something. “There’s a certain power that I think gets lost on the records – especially Karl’s drumming. It’s explosive,” he says. “There’s this unspoken language between us – and I’d forgotten what that felt like.”

And while Good Things had them slotted early on a smaller stage, crowds still turned out en masse. “I’d been living in the States. I didn’t know what the climate was. But they showed up, and I realised people still give a shit. That was the spark.”

It’s almost unheard of for a band to return with the exact same four members after two decades, but Kisschasy have always been about chemistry over churn. “We’ve had ups and downs, sure,” Cordeux says, “but replacing even one of us would’ve been like pulling spokes from a wheel.”

Despite originally being an outsider – he was brought into the band after the others had already been playing together – Cordeux quickly became part of the family. “We bonded through the struggle. Playing all those tiny shows. That stuff builds a connection that doesn’t go away.”

If the upcoming album is a snapshot of where the band is now, “Lie to Me” is the gateway drug. “It’s got that energy, that cheeky lyricism – it just sounds like us,” Cordeux explains. “It came to me right after a bout of writer’s block. I came back and just grabbed it from the ether.”

The rest of the record? That’s still under wraps. But it’s coming. “We recorded ten songs. The challenge was making sure they weren’t just copies of our old work. I was putting us in a box, and it stifled the creativity,” he says. “But then I remembered: we were always more eclectic than I gave us credit for.”

So don’t expect Hymns 2.0… but do expect evolution. “We wanted to show growth but not abandon what made us good. So there are pounding drums. Big choruses. That spark’s still there,” Cordeux promises.

And what would ‘baby Darren’ think of it?

“I think he’d be stoked,” he grins. “It still sounds young. It doesn’t sound like we’re just trying to stay relevant. It just sounds like us, reinvigorated.”

‘Baby Darren’ – and the rest of the band – came up in a different time, when CDs were king and Myspace still ruled the digital landscape. So how would they navigate the industry if they were starting out today?

“I’d have to delegate,” Cordeux laughs. “Joel [Vanderuit] would handle the videos. Sean [Thomas] would do socials. I’d be writing the songs.”

He’s not dismissive of TikTok or the DIY hustle – it’s just a different beast. “You’ve got to tick a lot more boxes now,” he says. “But I think the key is showing your personality. If we were launching today, I’d just want to make sure we captured us – because that’s what people connect with.”

Still, he’s wary of older bands who lose themselves chasing algorithms. “I don’t want to sound arrogant, but we do have great personalities,” he insists. “We just never really documented stuff the way bands do now. That’s something we’re making up for this time around.”

For the first time ever, Hymns for the Nonbeliever is being pressed to vinyl – a tangible relic from a time when music wasn’t instantly disposable. “Back then, I’d catch the train to Missing Link to order a CD. Two weeks later, they’d call, and I’d go get it,” Cordeux reminisces. “That effort creates a bond. Vinyl brings that back.”

The upcoming tour – cheekily dubbed ‘Hymns for the New Believers’ – is already drawing in new generations. Some are the kids of original fans; others discovered the band through artists who grew up on Kisschasy and now namecheck them in interviews. “That’s something we’re proud of,” Cordeux says. “We wanted to take younger bands like Sly Withers on the road with us, to show that lineage.”

This version of Kisschasy isn’t a reunion. It’s a reboot, a refresh, a revival driven by loyalty – to each other, to the fans, and to the art.

And Cordeux, now older and more self-aware, isn’t trying to relive the past – he’s trying to honour it. “It feels like the stars have realigned. And that’s a rare thing.”

Kisschasy’s “Lie to Me” is out now. More information about their upcoming tour can be found here.