Breaking onto the hardcore scene in 2013, New York’s Regulate have shown a resilient and earnest approach in everything they do. This rings true on the band’s upcoming self-titled LP that will drop September 30th on their new label home, Flatspot Records.
The first taste comes in single “Why Can’t We?,” which the band shares a video for today. The track is a thrill ride as guitars shift from manic to groove-driven, encircled by impassioned vocals from Sebastian Paba. The self-directed video perfectly encapsulates the band’s high-energy performance as the album’s artwork comes to life.
Expanding on the song, Paba states:
“‘Why Can’t We?’ was the last song we wrote for the record and came to be one of the most dynamic and personal tracks. I hope it impacts others as much as it does me.”
The ten tracks on the album developed organically throughout the brunt of the pandemic, inspiring Paba’s most personal lyrics to the date. Regulate has always been an outlet for vulnerability - the band’s latest album In the Promise of Another Tomorrow (2018) shined with commentary on identity and power structure complimented by explosive musicianship. Produced, Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Soul Blind), Regulate takes the band to another level, teetering between a traditional hardcore sound and something more striking, pulling additional inspiration from Latin music and R&B. Paba effortlessly handles both screams and what might be the catchiest clean vocal delivery in the entire genre while pushing forth thoughts on serious topics like genocide against indigenous peoples and more light-hearted notes of just loving making music.
Regulate also shares “In The Moment”, the second single off the their upcoming album, Regulate, set for release September 30th on Flatspot Records. Following “Why Can’t We?,” “In The Moment” keeps up the band’s bouncy, riff-driven sound while the lyrics center around living in your reality instead of seeking out validation. Vocalist Sebastian Paba shifts from head-on screams to an absolutely infectious clean vocal chorus that is bound to linger in your head. The video for the track was put together by Manuel Casanova and features live footage contributed by Sunny Singh (hate5six), guitarist Mike Botti, and videographer Mason Mercer.
Regulate shares “Hair”, the third single from their upcoming self-titled album. On the song the band play with different rhythms, shying away from their mosh-ready blend of hardcore while still packing a flair for groove. Soulful vocals meet rock-forward guitars encompassing lyrics about self-acceptance.
Speaking on the track coming together, vocalist Sebastian Paba explained:
“‘Hair’ is about becoming comfortable and appreciative of my physical features. Eurocentric characteristics have been seen as the standard of beauty for some time but that’s changing day by day and I hope this song can help that along. I didn’t write this song to put down those features but to uplift people who don’t fit into that standard. Expression through physical characteristics and clothing is important to me and it’s taken time for me to feel confident in that, I’m still working towards it. Hair is a huge piece of that puzzle. Sonically, it’s very unique compared to our other material but it’s been a long time coming for us. It might not sound like something you’d normally expect from us but at the same time I don’t think it’s surprising that we’d write a song like this. It was a challenge in the studio, but we welcomed it and I think we got it right.”
Last Ride Records has announced an Australian press of the LP that is now available for preorder and expected to ship in December.
Preorder: https://lastriderecords.bigcartel.com/product/regulate-regulate-lp
