While You Were Away: New Music From Hot Milk And Spiritbox, Pinhead Gunpowder Returns, And More
Dreading the work week ahead? Take a break with this week’s edition of While You Were Away. Grab some coffee and read about new music from Hot Milk and Spiritbox, the return of Pinhead Gunpowder, the Slam Dunk 2025 lineup, and more.
Hot Milk share new standalone single ‘Where Does the Light Get In?’
After a bit of teasing, Hot Milk have shared their new standalone single “Where Does the Light Get In?”
Han Mee describes the song as “its own beast that came from a place of great torment and suffering. Matters of the heart are rarely touched by our band but after the last year put me into a place I never wish to return I couldn’t not write this song. It was a necessity.”
“Sadness doesn’t last forever, but when it consumes you it feels like it’s there for eternity,” adds Jim Shaw. “Essentially this song is a cry out for a change in circumstances. It’s hard seeing someone close to you in pain and feeling powerless to change it. I wanted to exacerbate the vulnerability of this song so I began as stripped back as I could, me and a piano, and played what you can hear as soon as the song starts. We wanted the lyrics to come across almost like a prayer so we brought in the girls in Espera to record a choir and act as the response in the chorus.”
Watch the video below.
Pinhead Gunpowder return with new album, share first song in 16 years
Pinhead Gunpowder, featuring Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong and touring guitarist Jason White, have announced their new album Unt, out October 18th. Rounded out by bassist Bill Schneider and drummer Aaron Cometbus, the band have shared the title track, marking their first new song in 16 years.
“Pinhead Gunpowder started writing songs in 1990 and made our first 7” the following spring,” the band said in a statement. “But since 2010, we’ve been playing just for ourselves, something bands forget to do. Rather than ‘writing for the new album’ or rehearsing to get ready for tour, we went back to the basement every year.
We lived in the house we’d built, remembering how we’d made the music for each other in the first place. We played all over the world — well, at least Oakland, Singapore and New York — but only for each other. We worked on the reissues of our back catalog, too, and found ourselves fonder of each other and more family-like than ever.
A new record was only a matter of time, but between the members’ other bands, projects, and families that was hard to find. When we finally did, we were all surprised. We think it’s our best yet — our catchiest, most collaborative, and most poignant.”
Pre-order Unt here.
Spiritbox release new song ‘Soft Spine’
Spiritbox have released their new single “Soft Spine” ahead of their North American tour with Korn and Gojira.
The band teased the single early last week with a cryptic puzzle at app.spiritbox.com. Postcards were sent to nine lucky fans who leaked the puzzle on X.
Listen to the song below.
After their tour with Korn and Gojira, Spiritbox will hit the road with Bring Me the Horizon in November and December. See all their dates here.
Soft Spine – Out Nowhttps://t.co/gbYRy09frw
Produced by Dan Braunstein and Mike Stringer
Mixed by Zakk Cervini
Mastered by Ted Jensen pic.twitter.com/VN4ARBinrp— Spiritbox (@spiritboxband) September 6, 2024
Slam Dunk Festival unveils first wave of bands for 2025
Slam Dunk Festival have announced the first wave of bands for next year’s lineup.
A Day To Remember will headline the 2025 festival on Saturday, May 24th, and Sunday, May 25th, respectively, in Hatfield Park and Leeds Temple Newsam to make their Slam Dunk debut. “We’re really excited to get back to the UK,” says the band, “and to play Slam Dunk for the first time.”
Other acts announced for next year include Alkaline Trio, Neck Deep, Electric Callboy, New Found Glory, The Used, Stray From the Path, Hot Mulligan, Delilah Born, and the recently reunited As It Is.
Get tickets for Slam Dunk 2025 here.
Slam Dunk Festival 2025 pic.twitter.com/DU43kNk0yU
— Slam Dunk Festival (@SlamDunkMusic) September 4, 2024
Tours on sale this week
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have extended their upcoming tour with their first North American dates since 2018. The tour kicks off on April 15th in Boston and runs through May 14th in San Francisco. See all the dates here.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Dave Matthews Band will hit the road in the U.S. this fall. The trek starts on November 15th and wraps up with a two-night stint at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Get all the details here.
TV on the Radio returns this year to celebrate their debut album, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsy Babes, with three live residencies in New York, Los Angeles, and London. Starting in November, the band will play four nights at Webster Hall in New York on November 25th, 26th, 29th, and 30th. Following this, they’ll play Los Angeles’ El Rey for three nights on December 4th, 5th, and 7th. Shows conclude in London at the Islington Assembly Hall from December 10th through 12th. Tickets go on sale Thursday, September 12th at 10 AM local time.
Tool recently announced their first-ever South American dates set for next year. In March 2025, they’ll headline four festivals: Lollapalooza Chile in Santiago; Lollapalooza Argentina in Buenos Aires; Lollapalooza Brasil in São Paulo; and Festival Estereo Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia. Find all the details here.
