Release Wave

Vancouver anthemic indie/punk rockers Japandroids will release their fourth and final album, "Fate & Alcohol," showcasing a blend of their early raw energy and recent storytelling depth, while pursuing new ways to bottle that same rush - to write songs with the vitality and dynamic interaction of their early material from Post Nothing and Celebration rock, without sacrificing any of the nuance or ambition that marked  Near to the Wild Heart of Life. The album was once again produced by Jesse Gander and recorded in Vancouver, and captures the band's evolution while maintaining their signature sound. This couldn't be more exemplified in lead off single "Chicago" which is streamable below. Fate & Alcohol is sure to provide a fitting conclusion to their career as they reflect on their journey and the impact of their music through 10 brand new tracks.

Hardcore punk's most beloved agitators Drug Church are back with their upcoming album "PRUDE," set to release on October 4th, 2024 via Pure Noise Records. The album promises a mix of hardcore aggression and '90s alternative hooks over 10 tracks that are bursting at the seams with personality, irreverence, and heart. No one does gritty hardcore, catchy melodies, and hooks like Drug Church, listen to their previous two LPs Cheer and Hygiene if you don't believe me, and their new LP is sure to prove this once again. Latest single "Demolition Man" and previously released rocker "Myopic" from the forthcoming LP are both available for streaming and proof that Drug Church are far from slowing down anytime soon. Fans of Fiddlehead, Militarie Gun, Seaweed, and Touche Amore will certainly love Drug Church's unique style.

German alt-rock/grungegaze band Death By Gong will release their debut LP "Descalator" on September 20, 2024 via Crazy Sane Records (Entropy, VELCROS). The band, comprising members from RADARE, SHRVL, and ZAHN, blends 90s grunge, space rock, and shoegaze, evoking the sounds of bands like Torche, Failure, DIIV and My Bloody Valentine. The album, recorded by Peter Voigtmann and mixed by Joe Joaquin, features 8 new tracks with two additional bonus songs for a special edition 7 inch, showcasing a fusion of heaviness, vulnerability, and intricate songwriting.

Nada Surf is set to release their new 11-song LP, Moon Mirror, on September 13, 2024, marking their return with new material since 2020. The album, produced by the band and Ian Laughton, has everything fans love and expect from the band: play-on-repeat heart punches, poetic and thought-provoking musings on the world around them, and bittersweet anthems that begin quietly but explode into soaring harmonies. With a career spanning 30 years, Nada Surf remains true to their signature sound while exploring new depths in their latest work. The band released the first single, “In Front of Me Now,” a heartfelt warning against sleepwalking through the one life we have which can be streamed below.

German melodic grungegaze rockers Entropy will be releasing their sophomore LP "Dharmakāya" on August 30, 2024, showcasing a blend of emotionally charged melodic vocals and jangly guitars, paired with layers of heavy distortion and monster hooks, reminiscent of their Britpop influences mixed with their 90s post-hardcore, alternative rock and shoegaze roots. The album features catchy tunes like “King of Rain” and “Americans (Will Save You in the End)” that hearken back to 90s bands like Sugar while still drawing parallels to more current bands like Hotline TNT, Nothing and Alvvays. Heavier moments can be found in lead-off single "Papered Over Some" with its Helmet meets Quicksand like riffage, while still maintaining it's dreamy melodic soundscape. Recorded in Germany and mastered in New York, the album explores themes of dating, mental health, and spirituality, referencing thinkers like Peter Rollins and Robert Pírsig.

Enumclaw, a Washington-based indie rock band, is set to release their sophomore album 'Home in Another Life' on August 30th, marking their signing to Run For Cover Records. With a sound reminiscent of bands like Hotline TNT, Milly, Ovlov, and Pavement, Enumclaw's new single "Change" previews an album filled with anthemic distortion filled guitar riffs and raw, emotive songwriting from vocalist Aramis Johnson. Their upcoming release follows their well-received 2022 debut album 'Save The Baby' and EP 'These Are Some B-Sides', showcasing the band's evolution and musical range.

New Jersey hardcore band GEL has announced a new EP titled "Persona" set for release on August 16, 2024, following their acclaimed debut full-length album, "Only Constant." The lead single "Mirage" showcases an intensified sound that retains GEL's signature aggressiveness while introducing new dynamism. Produced by Jon Markson, "Persona" captures GEL's evolution and collaborative growth, offering a fresh take on their raw and energetic hardcore music.

Oklahoma City sludgy noise rock band Chat Pile is releasing their sophomore album "Cool World" on October 11th, following their 2022 breakout record "God's Country." The album explores themes of modern malaise on a global scale, delving into the societal impact of disasters at home and abroad and how they affect one another. Influenced by bands like The Jesus Lizard and Big Black, Chat Pile's music is a blend of cacophonous noise rock with elements of goth, alt/indie hooks, post-punk and off-kilter metal grooves, which only scratches the surface of what can be heard in the album's ten tracks. Album opener "I Am Dog Now" is now available on all digital streaming platforms.

Balance and Composure are making a powerful return with their upcoming 4th LP, "With You In Spirit," set to release on October 4, 2024, produced by Will Yip and releasing on his label Memory Music. The album features 10 tracks of their dark emotionally charged and atmospheric rock, reflecting intense self-reflection in its lyrics and a dynamic musical evolution.Their trademark brooding and emotionally charged dynamic sound can be heard on lead off singles "Cross to Bear" and "Sorrow Machine." For fans of Sunny Day Real Estate, Title Fight, Me Without You, and Moving Mountains, this release promises to be a riveting blend of familiar and new elements from the band.

Cursive, an iconic Omaha band blurring the lines between explosive indie rock and post-hardcore is releasing their intense and incisive 10th LP 'Devourer' on September 13, 2024 via Run for Cover Records. Known for their ambitious discography blending dissonance with deep melody, Cursive's music touches on themes of consumption, imperialism, and personal struggles. Fans can expect a powerful album produced by Marc Jacob Hudson, offering a fresh and urgent sound as the band continues to push creative boundaries.

The Jesus Lizard, known for their influential noise-rock sound, is releasing their first album in over two decades, titled "Rack," on Sept. 13, 2024 through Ipecac Recordings. The album features the track "Hide & Seek" described as a lively song by David Yow, showcasing the band's dynamic energy. With a strong bond among band members, the Jesus Lizard's music continues to captivate audiences globally, blending intense rhythms, sharp guitar riffs, and distinctive vocals.

Southern California shoegaze squad COLD GAWD return to Dais Records for their second and most supreme suite yet of crushing downer bliss: "I’ll Drown On This Earth", set for release on August 30th, 2024. Recorded in March 2024, the new album showcases their refined shoegaze style that captures both heaviness and haze, resulting in a perfect storm of distortion and dream pop, cracked love songs cloaked in swooning walls of noise. Lead single "All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned For A Thing I Cannot Name" is a perfect example and now available on all digital streaming platforms.

Australian alternative rock band Regionals will be releasing their debut LP, "Spoonbender," on August 23, 2024 via Scary Stories & Team Glasses Records. The album showcases a shift towards a more extreme and experimental sound, combining emo roots with dream-pop/shoegaze and post-hardcore influences marked by lush, atmospheric textures and jangly guitars with the abrasive attack of heavy guitars and vocal screams. Their latest single "291" gives a taste of their expansive new direction and sonic landscape, featuring layered instrumentation and atmospheric textures, drawing comparisons to Mew, Deafcult, Pianos Become the Teeth, and Touche Amore.

Touché Amoré from Burbank, CA is releasing a new album titled Spiral in a Straight Line on October 11th, their first in 4 years and first for Rise Records. The album, and follow up to the highly acclaimed 2020 release "Lament" was produced by Ross Robinson and features collaborations with Julien Baker and Lou Barlow, while exploring themes of forward movement amidst destabilization. The lead off track "Nobody's" which is now streaming, is a prime example of Touche Amore's knack for writing emotionally charged melodic hardcore with grit and passion that fans of bands like Have Heart, Title Fight, Drug Church, and Fiddlehead should find appealing.

Origami Angel is set to release their new LP "Feeling Not Found" on September 27, 2024, via Counter Intuitive Records and produced by Will Yip at Studio 4. The album explores themes of emotional disconnection in the modern world and features tracks like "Dirty Mirror Selfie" and "Where Blue Light Blooms" now available to stream. Fans of bands like The Wonder Years, Heart Attack Man and Oso Oso will appreciate their unique and futuristic blend of emo, pop punk, and electronic influences, featuring songs that are both danceable, mosh-worthy and fun to rock out to.

After releasing a trilogy of albums between 2018 and 2022, Canadian heavy emo/alt-rockers Chastity will release their self-titled LP on Sept. 13, 2024, featuring 13 new tracks with intense themes of struggle, redemption, darkness and light, but with new depths of intensity, desperation, new heights of intensity and power.. Blending elements of emo, shoegaze, grunge-pop, and melodic hardcore, the album was engineered by John Paul Peters and offers a dynamic sound. Fans of Teenage Wrist, Basement, Jimmy Eat World, and Title Fight are sure to love the bands latest single and album opener "Jaw Locked" now available on all streaming platforms.

90's Chicago alt-rock underdogs, Fig Dish, is set to release their never-before-heard unreleased third album, "Feels Like The Very First Two Times," on September 6, 2024 via Forge Again Records, marking their return after 27+ years. The band's music is likened to Cheap Trick, Dinosaur Jr, The Replacements, and Husker Du, blending pop melodies, noisy guitars, and angsty lyrics similar to many other up-and-coming bands of the 90s alt-rock/grunge-pop heyday. Fig Dish toured the US throughout the 90s relentlessly with bands like Local H, Veruca Salt, The Rentals, amongst many others, but faced challenges and misadventures throughout along the way, leading to an eventual breakup, but now their unreleased album resurfaces for both old and new fans to enjoy. Check out the lead off single "Burn Bright For Now" streaming on all digital platforms and a sneak preview of what's to come.

Suburban Eyes, the new indie/emo trio featuring members from well-known emo bands Christie Front Drive, Mineral and Boys Life, is set to release their self-titled debut album on August 30, 2024 via Spartan Records. Their music offers a blend of propulsion and dreamy shimmering soundscapes, maintaining accessible pop structures and melodic guitar hooks with a unique sonic duality. With Grammy-winning mixer Peter Katis involved, the band's introspective and virtual approach has led to a creatively satisfying experience and significant musical growth. Fans of their former projects looking for an updated and more expansive and dreamy shoegaze take on their nostalgic and melodic emo/inidie rock pop sound will definitely find something to love here. RIYL: Christie Front Drive, Jimmy Eat World, Antarctica, The Promise Ring

Poppy Wizard, a new grunge-gaze / alt-rock band from Germany, is set to release their debut EP "Holy Spirit Gang" on August 23, 2024 via Supervillain, including the previously released singles "Drowning" and "Lately I've Been Caught Up" which are available on digital streaming platforms. Their latest single "Bedridden" gives a taste of their style blending grunge and 90s alternative rock, reflecting on themes of depression and personal struggles. Across 5 tracks, their sound oscillates between heavy, dreamy and undulating structures that will delight fans of modern guitar fueled melodic fuzz rock and grungegaze. Drawing inspiration from life's various facets, Poppy Wizard's music offers a mix of powerful melodies and danceable tunes perfect for fans of Superheaven, Title Fight, and Narrow Head.