Michigan hardcore band Big Deal have shared their new single “Upper Hand,” which marks their first release on New York record label, Heroes & Martyrs. The song’s big riffs and shout along lyrics were written to be a staple of the band’s high-energy live show. Musically, Big Deal pulls influences from classic metal acts like Megadeth and Slayer, just as much as Negative Approach and Carry On.

Diving into thesong, the band stated:

"'Upper Hand' essentially is about desire. When breaking it all down to its roots, most desires in life come from wanting control and taking the 'upper hand' of a situation. It’s about constant comparison and trying to be better than others just for a status and just to get a point across. 'Everyone wants to rule the world, No one wants to do as they’re told.'“

Formed in 2021, Big Deal are five friends who wanted to bring a fresh perspective and sound to hardcore. The band debuted with their EP, Great Deal of Pain, in that same year and have since grown to be one of the Midwest’s must-watch acts. Having already played shows with Never Ending Game, Fiddlehead, Trash Talk, and Mindforce, they’ll add to that list with upcoming support slots for Speed and No Warning, full dates below. Big Deal is set to release a new EP later this year on Heroes & Martyrs.