Look, I’ve sat through a lot of press releases this year. Most of them read like a robot trying to sell you shampoo. Everyone’s “finding their voice,” “tapping into new sonic territory,” or “blending genres no one asked for.” Then ALBORN kicks in the door, throws a beer at the algorithm, and drops “Violent.”
Just a punch-to-the-neck riff storm that feels like it was built inside a bomb shelter and tested on live humans. Let’s get this out of the way: ALBORN is peeling out of your front yard while flipping off your HOA. And “Violent,” their latest single, out now, is the sound of that truck hitting fourth gear.
It’s heavy. It’s direct. It’s pissed off, but not aimless. It’s the musical equivalent of finally saying “nah, we’re good” to everything fake and forcing your sound into the shape it was always meant to be. “We weren’t trying to impress anyone,” says frontman Justin Taylor. And buddy, it shows. In the best way.
Everything about “Violent” feels lived-in — the riffs, the vocal grit, the way it doesn’t try too hard to be anything it’s not. It’s a band that finally said fuck it, and somehow stumbled into their clearest, most magnetic sound yet.
Now let’s talk about the video. Shot and edited by the band. No storyline. Just dust, noise, and enough rural chaos to make a dusty bar back blush. It feels like a home movie shot by someone who knows what they’re doing — barely. But it works. Because it’s theirs.
This is a band from a tiny town, making noise like it’s the only option left — because it is. And what makes “Violent” hit even harder is the fact that it dares you to look away. Good luck. “I spent years wanting to get out of my hometown,” Justin told me. “Now? I’m proud of where I’m from.” You can hear that in every second of the song.
And here’s the thing: The video’s rough. The production is raw. There’s dirt under the fingernails of every note. But if you think that’s a problem, you’re missing the point. ALBORN is exactly as polished as they need to be. And not an ounce more. So yeah — “Violent” is loud. It’s personal. It’s messy in all the right ways. And it’s probably the most honest heavy rock track I’ve heard all month.
Go watch the damn thing. And maybe call your band and tell them to step it up. https://linktr.ee/alborn