“It always surprises me when people are there. It’s like we are far from home, but these people know who we are.”

Truer words could not be said. Colour Revolt has been away from home for quite a while now, and will get even farther away as they turn up at The Highdive in Champaign Thursday night. The Oxford, Mississippi rock band is currently on tour supporting their debut record “Plunder, Beg, and Curse” (any relation between the city and the Oxford comma in the album title?), released in April on Fat Possum Records.

The record is a dark affair, with many religious and biblical references scattered in the lyrics. The music is at some points bombastic, other points slow and brooding. The band’s interplay on the record suggests that something greater can be achieved live, and Thursday will test that hypothesis.

Bassist Patrick Addison said that with this record, the band tried to sound more organic, after the DIY approach of recording their self-titled EP.

“We just wanted our live sound to translate into the studio,” Addison said. “It helped with the chemistry we have.”

The results have proven successful. While “Plunder, Beg, and Curse” is by no means a sterile recording. The instruments are clear and defined, and there is a level of bombast that can only be produced by playing live in a room with a band. No amount of studio wizardry can fake what this band creates together on songs like “Swamp” and “Naked and Red,” and that is to their credit.

As for the religious undertones, lead singer Jesse Coppenbarger said he did not realize how much they did end up coming through in the lyrics.

“It wasn’t meant to be in every song,” he said. “It came out more than I realized and people picked up on it.”

Despite all of this, Addison said they achieved what they set out to do in the studio.

“We wanted to translate our stage show, and we thought we pulled it off,” he said. “We couldn’t be happier.”

Now, Colour Revolt is doing the opposite, and trying to make a live-sounding record sound good live. Still, Addison said he and the band have grown accustomed to playing in their basement, so it is not that much different. An audience helps though.

“I’m still there listening to the other people’s parts,” he said. “Looking out and seeing people singing along just adds to it.”

Fortunately, touring is still something they can do. While other bands (and industries overall) fall prey to the $4 a gallon gas prices, Colour Revolt is still able to go on. It is something they are aware of though.

“We’ve been coming home for money,” Addison said. “It’s good for us on the road, but it definitely could be better.”

Addison said the band is enjoying it nonetheless, and it is still exciting for them.

“I’m into what everyone else is doing,” he said. “I’d rather be playing live than in my basement.”

Colour Revolt will be playing Thursday night at The Highdive, 51 E. Main St., Champaign, with Robots Counterfeiting Money, Light Pollution and Javelins opening. Show starts at 9 p.m. Ticket Fusion, The Highdive’s online ticketing service, is not currently selling tickets but says “Plenty of Tickets at the Door.” Show is 19+.