Wiretap Records has officially welcomed Sadlands to the family. The Brooklyn-based indie-punk group — featuring members of Answering Machine, Choke Up, and Ellen and the Degenerates — will release their debut full-length album “Try To Have A Little Fun” later this fall. Recently, the band set the stage with its first single “Twin Flame,” now streaming everywhere.
Fronted by songwriters and guitarists Sam Campanile and Jess Lane, and backed by Louis Rabeno on bass and Harley Cox on drums, Sadlands blend heartfelt lyricism with explosive energy. Shimmering feedback, dueling vocals, pleading lyrics, and searing guitar leads collide in “Twin Flame,” a track that burns with both vulnerability and catharsis.
“This song is about the struggles of self-doubt, uncertainty, and a search for meaning,” Campanile said.
Inspired by a documentary about a cult promising followers their “twin flame,” the lyrics unfold as a cautionary tale — showing how easy it is to fall prey to manipulation when longing for love and belonging. In its climax, the narrator finds their supposed soulmate, only to push them away as an act of self-preservation.
With “Twin Flame,” Sadlands carve out a bold first statement — one that’s equal parts urgent and vulnerable, sharp-edged yet tender. It’s the perfect preview of what’s to come on “Try To Have A Little Fun.”
Stream “Twin Flame”: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sadlands3/twin-flame/
Sleep Pod Two stepped into the spotlight last week with their debut EP “Rehearse Your Future,” released via Mindpower Records. The collection of tracks serves as a striking first chapter for the Los Angeles-based band, weaving decades of friendship, survival and shared history into an emotionally charged release.
Urgent, melodic, and deeply human, “Rehearse Your Future” unfolds across three songs. From the propulsive opener “All That We Have (Is Each Other)” through the resonant title track, and closing with the haunting “Concealer,” the EP captures a band both seasoned and reenergized.
“‘Concealer’ is a song about a friend of ours who is stuck in an abusive relationship, both physical and mental,” guitarist and songwriter Todd Trout shared. “Abusers use fear, intimidation, and violence to dominate their partners, and this song signifies the red flags that trap a person in the abuse: ‘But, but he’s really trying’ and ‘I know he loves me, he says we’re a family.’ Just fucking heartbreaking.”
It’s a raw and necessary narrative. Sleep Pod Two shares a story that is one of both endurance and rediscovery. It’s a reminder of what music can be at its most essential — a vessel for survival, a bridge for connection, and proof that, in the end, all that we have is each other.
Stream “Rehearse Your Future”: https://orcd.co/rehearseyourfuture?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Wichita’s Stay The Course unleashed raw intensity with their latest single “Pastel,” out now via Punkerton Records. Blending emo and easycore, the track surges with driving beats, chunky guitar riffs, and lyrics that cut straight to the heart.
Cathartic and unflinching, “Pastel” is built for release. “I always knew my back was against the wall but I played the game anyway” is just one of the gut-punching lines delivered by frontman Joseph Meador — a chorus that begs to be shouted back at the band in a tidal wave of shared emotion. It’s a track that feels like both confrontation and cleansing, giving listeners permission to drop their guard and let the music take over.
“This was the first song we fully tracked,” Meador said. “At the start, I was nervous about the new material and honestly struggled to get motivated. One morning I just pushed myself to record vocals, and when I sat back and listened, all my doubts disappeared. That’s when I knew this record was going to be fun and that I could really try new things vocally.”
Formed in 2015, Stay The Course began as Meador’s solo project before growing into a full band. Known for hard-edged melodic vocals, soaring riffs, and an explosive wall of sound, the Kansas outfit pushes pop-punk and easycore into new, more personal territory.
Signing to Punkerton Records earlier this year marked a new era for the band, with “Pastel” setting the stage for their forthcoming full-length album “RED FLAG,” due later in 2025.
Stream “Pastel”: https://ffm.to/staythecourse_pastel
Southern California’s own SUNBENDR returned with “Stay All Night,” their first true love song — and one that feels destined to be shouted back by a crowd. While the band has always carried themes of love through their catalog, this single stands apart: a post-punk-pop ballad that drifts with blissful intimacy before launching into a towering, anthemic chorus and closing with a full-throttle crescendo.
Recorded during a five-song session with producer George Perks (Enter Shikari, You Me At Six), “Stay All Night” captures SUNBENDR at their most dynamic. It’s a track that balances the grit of their post-punk edge with widescreen, heart-swelling melodies, a sound equally suited for sweaty club nights and open-air festival stages.
Tracked in March 2025 between Tom DeLonge’s private home studio and Chris Prescott’s Belly of the Whale Studio, the song showcases the band’s commitment to both craft and emotion. From its intimate verses to its stadium-sized hook, “Stay All Night” marks a creative peak for SUNBENDR — an expansion of their sonic palette without losing the urgency that defines them.
Catch them live September 19 at Solana Beach’s Belly Up with Silent Comedy & Transfer.
Stream “Stay All Night”: https://onerpm.link/StayAllNight
Denver’s melodic punk powerhouse Record Thieves are back with their stirring new single “All The Feels,” out now via Thousand Islands Records. It’s the third glimpse of their upcoming full-length album “Tragic Company,” arriving September 26, 2025 — and it might just be the band’s most affecting track to date.
“All The Feels” is an unfiltered anthem for restless hearts, caught between beauty and destruction.
“A heartfelt ode to the highs, lows, and lost souls of the road,” the band explained, the song is both bitter and sweet, soaring and raw. Evocative imagery and swelling emotion fuel its chorus, making this one of the emotional centerpieces of “Tragic Company.”
With “All The Feels” as its beating heart, “Tragic Company” is music for anyone chasing redemption, battling regret, or just looking for something real in the noise.
Stream “All the Feels”: https://bfan.link/RT-all-the-feels?utm_source=chatgpt.com
