The Alkaline Trio Article Archive

Alkaline Trio have unfortunately had to cancel their recently announced UK tour due to a sudden and serious medical issue affecting guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba. The band arrived in the UK ready to kick off the tour, but were forced to make the difficult decision to return to the United States for treatment after Skiba’s condition rapidly worsened.

The cancellation impacts five shows – Birmingham, London, Newcastle, Leeds, and Manchester – as well as their scheduled headline performance at the 2000 Trees festival. In a statement released by the band, they explained, “We are immensely sorry, but we must cancel our dates in England… due to medical issues Matt has been suffering from that have worsened.” They assured fans that Skiba “is gonna be okay, but needs to be treated stateside as soon as possible. We will be back healthier and stronger.”

Skiba himself addressed fans directly via a video posted to Instagram, explaining the severity of the situation. “Thank you for all the love and support,” he said. “It means the world to me. You guys deserve a better show than I can throw right now.” He detailed his symptoms, stating, “I've got numbness in my feet, numbness in my hands, and as you can tell, I’m losing my voice. I can’t really talk, walk, play, or sing.” He confirmed his intention to seek medical attention immediately, adding, “I’m gonna go home and get looked at. I love all of you so much, and we’ll be back ASAP to make these shows up to you.”

Don Broco will now be taking Alkaline Trio’s place as headliners at the 2000 Trees festival. The band has indicated that the cancelled shows will be rescheduled at a later date.

Source: guitarworld.com ↗

Alkaline Trio had to cancel their entire UK tour with very little notice, just hours before they were scheduled to kick things off at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on July 3rd. The cancelled dates also included shows in London, Leeds, Newcastle, and Manchester. They were also slated to headline the 2000 Trees festival in Cheltenham on July 9th, but the festival has since announced Don Broco will be taking their place, calling them “total heroes for stepping in at the 11th hour.”

The band released a statement explaining the cancellation was due to health issues affecting frontman Matt Skiba. According to the statement, “We are immensely sorry but we must cancel our dates in England, including tonight’s show in Birmingham, due to medical issues Matt has been suffering from that have worsened.” They reassured fans, adding, “He’s gonna be okay but needs to be treated stateside as soon as possible. We will be back healthier and stronger!” Refunds are being offered from the original point of purchase.

While the band hasn’t detailed the specific nature of Skiba’s health concerns, he recently posted on Instagram about a motorcycle accident. He shared a picture of a bandaged leg and wrote, “Elevating and hydrating as best as possible for today’s show Vainstream Rock Fest party people. Jacked up but hoping to play on my feet today. Fingers crossed. Had a lil motorbike crash before leaving Los Angeles for Europa. I’m gonna do my best. It’s gonna be a punk rock n roll party up there no matter what.”

Alkaline Trio had completed shows in the Netherlands and four dates in Germany before deciding to end their European tour. Their next performance is currently scheduled for the Vans Warped Tour in Montreal next month.

Source: faroutmagazine.co.uk ↗

Alkaline Trio have unfortunately had to cancel their entire UK tour, beginning with the show originally scheduled for last night, July 3rd, at the O2 Institute in Birmingham. The cancellation is due to a sudden and worsening health issue affecting frontman Matt Skiba.

The band released a statement explaining that they were “immensely sorry, but we must cancel our dates in England…due to medical issues Matt has been suffering from that have worsened.” They assured fans that Skiba is expected to make a full recovery, stating, “He’s gonna be okay but needs to be treated stateside as soon as possible. We will be back healthier and stronger.”

Skiba himself addressed fans in a video, expressing his gratitude for their support, saying, “Thank you for all the love and support. It means the world to me.” He explained that he physically couldn’t perform, detailing his symptoms: “You guys deserve a better show than I can throw right now. I've got numbness in my feet, numbness in my hands, and as you can tell I'm losing my voice. I can't really talk, walk, play or sing.” He added, “I’m gonna go home and get looked at. I love all of you so much and we’ll be back asap to make these shows up to you.”

The cancelled dates also included shows on July 4th at the London O2 Forum Kentish Town, July 5th at the Newcastle O2 City Hall, July 7th at the Leeds O2 Academy, July 8th at the Manchester O2 Ritz, and July 9th at the 2000Trees festival in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Source: loudersound.com ↗

What's OnMusic & NightlifeO2 InstituteThe punk rock band have cancelled their whole UK tour at the last minutePunk rock band Alkaline Trio have cancelled their whole tour ahead of the opening show in Birmingham tonight.The band made the announcement on their social media pages at around 5.15pm, less than two hours before their tour was supposed to start at the O2 Institute at 7pm tonight (Friday, July 3) sparking concern from fans.They said they had been forced to pull the entire tour due to medical issues that had 'worsened' with co-lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Skiba.Read more Huge new Ozzy and Black Sabbath exhibition opening at Grand CentralIn a statement, the band - made up of Mattm, Dan Andriano and Tosh Peterson, shared: "We are immensely sorry but we must cancel our dates in England, including tonight's show in Birmingham due to medical issues Matt has been suffering from that have worsened."He's gonna be okay but needs to be treated stateside as soon as possible. We will be back healthier and stronger!"The band added: "Refunds are available at the point of purchase."What to do if you are already in Birmingham and refundsPeople heading to the Birmingham gig already have been told tour support Anthony Green will still be performing, and they can come and watch him for free and still claim a full refund.Ticketmaster has also sent a message to those who booked via the service saying automatic refunds will be issued.A statement from Ticketmaster said: "Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Alkaline Trio will no longer be able to perform tonight."The touring support, Anthony Green, is still performing, so come down and watch him tonight for free and you will still be able to get a full refund on your ticket."You’ll receive an automatic refund on your original method of payment within 14-21 days depending on your bank's processing time."If the tickets were transferred to you, the refund will go to the fan who originally purchased the tickets from Ticketmaster."The announcement was met by a wave of concern for Matt from gutted fans.One wrote on X: "Oh god, I'm so sorry to hear this. We will miss you tonight. see you again, get well soon xx""Health above everything!! Speedy recovery @matttskiba," another fan echoed.And a third added: "Health must come first. Spoken like the middle aged punk rocker I am. Big love guys."The cancelled showsJULY 03 – BIRMINGHAM Institute 04 – LONDON Kentish Town Forum 05 – NEWCASTLE City Hall 07 – LEEDS Academy 08 – MANCHESTER Ritz 09 – CHELTENHAM 2000treesChoose Birmingham Live as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.O2 InstituteBirmingham

Source: birminghammail.co.uk ↗

Just a week after the news broke about Derek Grant’s departure, Alkaline Trio have announced who will be taking his place behind the kit: Atom Willard. Willard is a seriously seasoned drummer, with a career spanning over three decades and including time with bands like Rocket From The Crypt, Against Me!, and Angels & Airwaves.

Interestingly, this isn’t Willard’s first connection to the Trio. He’s previously collaborated with Matt Skiba on side projects theHELL and Lektron, and, believe it or not, he actually toured with Alkaline Trio back in 2000.

Derek Grant left the band on amicable terms, explaining that the extensive touring schedule was the primary factor in his decision. He’d been with Alkaline Trio for an impressive 22 years, joining shortly after the release of *From Here to Infirmary* in 2001. As Grant put it, “the demands of touring just became too much.”

Willard will officially begin his role with the band on June 21st at their show at Wrigley Field. Full details on Alkaline Trio’s upcoming tour dates are available here.

Source: dyingscene.com ↗

Well, it’s been a rough week for punk news, and now there’s another big announcement to process. Yesterday, Alkaline Trio drummer Derek Grant shared the news that he’s leaving the band. He made the announcement through his own social media channels.

Following Grant’s post, Alkaline Trio released a statement acknowledging his departure and expressing their gratitude for his years of service. They said, “It’s impossible to put into words all he’s done, but we are endlessly proud of what we have accomplished with one another.”

Derek Grant, who is 46 years old, had been the Trio’s drummer since 2001, joining after Mike Felumlee of the Smoking Popes left the band. He’s been a consistent force behind the kit through all the years and albums that followed. Beyond his work with Alkaline Trio, Grant also released a solo album, *Breakdown*, in 2015.

Source: dyingscene.com ↗

Fans of both Alkaline Trio and Jesse Michaels have a new event to look forward to this summer. Jesse Michaels and Matt Skiba will be showcasing their artwork together in a combined exhibit at the Elephant Room Gallery in Chicago this July and early August. The exhibit will feature pieces created by both artists.

The announcement was made via the @punkrockandpaintbrushes Instagram account.

This isn’t the only news surrounding Michaels lately. He recently released a new print and is scheduled to give tours of the Punk Rock Museum. He’ll also be joining Descendents on stage, along with Linh Le, Frank Turner, and Hetson, for a show on October 5. Michaels also recently performed “Take Warning” with Tim Armstrong at a tribute show for Terry Hall.

Source: punknews.org ↗

Alkaline Trio fans across the pond, get ready! The band just announced a string of tour dates for Germany and the UK this summer.

The tour kicks off in late June and runs into early July, with stops planned in both countries. They’ll be headlining shows in London, Manchester, and Leeds, among other cities. Additionally, Alkaline Trio are set to headline the 2000trees Festival in July. Tickets are on sale now and can be found at [link to ticket sales].

This tour will continue support for *Blood, Hair And Eyeballs*, their most recent full-length, which came out on Rise Records back in January 2024.

Here’s the full list of dates:

Sat 28th Jun – Stuttgart, DE – Im Wizemann

Mon 30th Jun – Berlin, DE – Metropol

Tue 1st Jul – Hamburg, DE – Große Freiheit 36

Thu 3rd Jul – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute

Fri 4th Jul – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town

Sat 5th Jul – Newcastle, UK – O2 City Hall

Mon 7th Jul – Leeds, UK – O2 Academy

Tue 8th Jul – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz

For more updates and information, you can check out Alkaline Trio’s official Facebook page.

Source: distortedsoundmag.com ↗

Matt Skiba recently shared some exciting news for Trio fans: Alkaline Trio is currently recording new material in the studio. While it hasn’t been confirmed whether this will result in their tenth full-length album, Skiba posted about the sessions on Instagram.

The post revealed that the band is collaborating once again with producer Cameron Webb. Webb is no stranger to Alkaline Trio, having previously worked with them on the 2011 acoustic record *Damnesia*, as well as *Is This Thing Cursed?* in 2018 and the 2020 EP consisting of three songs. He’s a highly respected name in the punk scene, with a production discography that also includes work with bands like NOFX, Pennywise, and Motörhead.

As of now, details are limited, but we’ll be sure to share any further updates regarding the new music as they become available.

Source: dyingscene.com ↗

The search for a new drummer following Atom Willard’s departure back in February is officially over. Alkaline Trio have announced Tosh Peterson will be taking the seat behind the kit. Peterson is a seriously in-demand player, with a resume boasting work with Fall Out Boy, Filter, Lady Gaga, Machine Gun Kelly, and even Bad Bunny.

The news came via an Instagram post from Matt Skiba, who recounted a rather memorable first meeting with Peterson. Skiba explained they met for lunch at Swingers a few months ago to discuss the possibility of him joining the band. A surprising element of the meeting was Peterson’s mother, who ended up bonding with Skiba over a shared interest in history. As Skiba put it, “her and I spent half the lunch talking about Churchill and the Miracle of Dunkirk while Tosh politely ate his fries.” Peterson apparently later shared with Daniel Andriano that his mother’s presence was a litmus test – if the band had an issue with her joining them, he wouldn’t have been interested in playing with them.

Skiba went on to praise Peterson’s skills and personality, stating, “Apart from the absolute MONSTER he is behind a drum kit he is just a lovely guy: KIND, polite, enthusiastic, driven and HILARIOUS.” He even added, “I told Dan I wouldn’t want Tosh to play with us if he HADN’T brought his mom.” Skiba concluded by saying Tosh is “a beautiful human being we’re very excited to travel and play music with and a drummer we couldn’t be more thankful to be able to welcome into OUR family.”

Alkaline Trio are gearing up to hit the road with Rise Against this September, and recently released their album *Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs* in 2024.

Source: punknews.org ↗

Get ready, folks! Rise Against and Alkaline Trio have just revealed plans for a U.S. tour kicking off on September 22nd at South Side Ballroom in Dallas, Texas. The tour will wrap up on October 23rd at Great Park Live in Irvine, California. This announcement comes as Rise Against is currently on a North American tour of their own.

Here’s the full list of dates:

September 22 – Dallas, TX at South Side Ballroom

September 23 – Austin, TX at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park

September 27 – Raleigh, NC at Red Hat Amphitheater

September 30 – New York, NY at The Rooftop at Pier 17

October 3 – Asbury Park, NJ at Stone Pony Summer Stage

October 4 – Philadelphia, PA at The Fillmore

October 6 – St. Louis, MO at The Factory

October 7 – Waukee, IA at Vibrant Music Hall

October 9 – Council Bluffs, IA at Harrah’s Stir Cove

October 10 – Milwaukee, WI at The Rave / Eagles Club

October 12 – Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

October 14 – Phoenix, AZ at Arizona Financial Theatre

October 15 – Albuquerque, NM at Revel Entertainment Center

October 17 – Las Vegas, NV at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort

October 18 – Salt Lake City, UT at The Union Event Center

October 20 – Seattle, WA at WAMU Theater

October 22 – San Francisco, CA at The Masonic

October 23 – Irvine, CA at Great Park Live

You can keep up with Rise Against on Instagram and find Alkaline Trio updates on Facebook. The tour photo is courtesy of both bands.

Source: newnoisemagazine.com ↗

Atom Willard has announced that he is no longer drumming for Alkaline Trio, bringing an end to his three-year run with the band.

Willard officially joined Alkaline Trio in 2023. His final recorded work with the group consists of the three singles released in 2025 – “Oblivion,” “Bleeding Out,” and “Surprise Surprise” – all of which were produced by Travis Barker.

The news came via a statement posted on Willard’s social media. He acknowledged the timing of the announcement, saying, “With everything going on, going wrong, in the world right now this may seem insignificant, but it’s not for me.” He went on to express gratitude for his time with the band, stating, “I have parted ways with Alkaline Trio. Thanks to everyone who made my time there so awesome, very thankful for the experience.”

Willard also indicated he’s open to future projects, adding, “I am currently considering all studio, collaboration, and touring opportunities.” He concluded his statement with a message of hope, saying, “I hope we can all look to love, compassion, understanding, and acceptance of our fellow humans in these dark and scary times.”

Source: rocksound.tv ↗

Alkaline Trio just dropped their third and final single, “Surprise Surprise,” continuing their run of new music produced by Travis Barker. The song follows the earlier releases of “Oblivion” and “Bleeding Out,” all stemming from recent studio sessions with the Blink-182 drummer.

Matt Skiba explained the inspiration behind “Surprise Surprise,” stating, “‘Surprise Surprise’ was inspired by and written for a friend of mine who grew up poor and entrenched in gang life, only to become a Navy SEAL and eventually an astronaut. It’s his story, combined with my own thoughts regarding how a sort of alchemy takes place when someone takes the experiences of a bad situation and is able to turn them into something profound and beautiful.” He also detailed the songwriting process, noting that the song initially lacked a bridge, which was later added by Dan in the studio. Skiba further added that this song was “the last one of the three we did in this session with Travis Barker and was even more of a collaboration and studio creation than the previous two.”

Accompanying the single is a new music video, which is definitely worth a watch.

Travis Barker also shared his enthusiasm for working with the band, saying, “Recording with Alkaline Trio was such a treat. Bringing these songs to life from the demos Matt recorded was so exciting. Both Matt and Dan are incredible lyricists, two of my all-time favourites. The studio never feels like work, just a magical place to create. The process was so natural and easy, I could’ve kept going forever. Really proud of these songs me, Matt, Dan, and Atom recorded. Excited for what’s ahead for Alkaline Trio and for fans to hear these special songs we made.”

Source: rocksound.tv ↗

Riot Fest 2025 kicked off its 20th anniversary celebration on September 19th at Douglass Park with a unique “Choose Your Own Adventure” format, offering attendees a variety of themed experiences alongside the music. Despite the anticipation, Friday proved to be the only mud-free day of the festival as rain was forecast for later.

Some attendees who purchased tickets through Costco experienced a slight hiccup, discovering they had received vouchers requiring redemption for digital tickets hours before the event. Festival organizers advised those with Costco tickets to redeem them in advance to avoid delays.

Beyond the music, Riot Fest offered several immersive experiences. “Riotoberfest” recreated a German Fest-themed bar, complete with Riot Fest Ale and sausage. A karaoke bar provided a stage for aspiring singers, while a “Clerks”-themed convenience store stocked everything from ice cream to condoms. Festivalgoers also enjoyed a recreation of Logan Arcade and a Fireside Bowl, featuring a “Riot Fest Historical Society” display of past memorabilia. A massive butter sculpture of John Stamos was also on display, with fans hoping for a potential appearance with The Beach Boys.

The music started early, with the Rise stage being temporarily renamed “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Weird World Stage” in anticipation of his closing set. Shonen Knife opened the stage at noon, followed by Chicago’s The Tossers on the Rebel Stage, blending Irish jig and punk influences. Puddles Pity Party, a whiteface clown, drew a large crowd with his covers of popular songs, even bringing out a Ronald McDonald-esque figure from Mac Sabbath to perform skewed versions of Ozzy Osbourne and Celine Dion.

Chicago’s Harm’s Way brought the energy up with a fierce hardcore set, while Sparks captivated a crowd with Russell and Ron Mael’s dynamic performance, opening with a request: “So May We Start.” Mattoon, Illinois’ Didjits also made a return after 20 years, with frontman Rick Sims delivering his signature cryptic song introductions and playful jabs at the festival setting.

Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady performed a full album play of “Separation Sunday,” and Rilo Kiley, playing their first Chicago show since 2008, packed the Radical Stage. Frontwoman Jenny Lewis delivered a captivating performance, leading singalongs to classics like “With Arms Outstretched” and “Portions for Foxes.”

Local favorites Alkaline Trio also performed an album play, revisiting their 2000 release “Maybe I’ll Catch Fire,” including songs not played since 2015.

The night culminated with “Weird Al” Yankovic’s highly anticipated set, part of his “Bigger and Weirder 2025” tour. He showcased a video montage of his career, complete with numerous costume changes, including impersonations of Kurt Cobain during “Smells Like Nirvana.” The crowd responded enthusiastically to his medley of hits and full performances like “Amish Paradise.”

The evening concluded with headliners Blink-182 and The Pogues playing the Riot and Rebel stages, respectively, though many attendees considered “Weird Al” a fitting closer.

Additional photos from the first day of the festival showcased lucha libre matches, festival-goers enjoying the various attractions, and the long lines for porta potties.

Source: blockclubchicago.org ↗

Alkaline Trio recently dropped their new single, “Bleeding Out,” which was produced by Travis Barker. It’s the second release from a series of three songs the band recorded with the Blink-182 drummer. The first, “Oblivion,” arrived earlier in the year.

Matt Skiba described the track, saying, “’Bleeding Out’ has an energy and a spontaneity that reflects the vibe in the studio as accurately as anything could. I’m really excited to share this song with our fellow earthlings. You can sing and dance along to it, and sadly, it’s a song of our time.”

Dan Andriano added his thoughts on the song’s creation, explaining, “Really proud to announce our next offering in this three-single series, ‘Bleeding Out.’ Matt’s demo really did a lot of the heavy lifting as we could all tell right away what kind of song it was going to be and we just started to groove. Travis instantly had great ideas about the instrumentation and harmonies, the candy – if you will. And I think the organic way it came together is really apparent in the fun and dancey flow of the song.”

The band shared some background on their studio sessions with Barker. Matt Skiba noted that he’d never had a better time recording, explaining that they’d wanted to work with Atom Willard as soon as he joined the band and finally found the time to do so. The idea to collaborate with Travis came about after Skiba guest-starred on a project Barker was producing, where he was impressed by Travis’s skills as a producer and the atmosphere of his studio. They initially planned to record a cover to ease into recording with Atom, but ended up writing three new songs instead. Skiba also said, “I already knew how great Travis is in the studio (from my time with Blink), beyond his great drumming and unique and out-of-the-box songwriting abilities. His vision and talent is the perfect fit for us. I am a drummer at heart so having Atom and Travis working in tandem as drummers and songwriters was absolute heaven for me. Working with two of my favourite drummers was surreal and dreamlike, never mind two of my favourite people in the world. I told Travis that it really feels like he is our fourth member on this.”

Travis Barker himself commented on the experience, stating, “Recording with Alkaline Trio was such a treat. Bringing these songs to life from the demos Matt recorded was so exciting. Both Matt and Dan are incredible lyricists, two of my all-time favourites. The studio never feels like work, just a magical place to create. The process was so natural and easy, I could’ve kept going forever. Really proud of these songs me, Matt, Dan, and Atom recorded. Excited for what’s ahead for Alkaline Trio and for fans to hear these special songs we made.”

Source: rocksound.tv ↗

The state of the world feels increasingly unstable, marked by a growing drug crisis and seemingly endless, pointless conflict. Many are left feeling overwhelmed and desperate for some sense of peace and clarity. Alkaline Trio appears to be tapping into that collective feeling with their new song, “Oblivion.”

The track delivers a message that resonates, built around chords and a narrative many listeners will likely find relatable. Matt Skiba, the band’s singer and guitarist—and a well-respected figure in the punk scene—brings a powerful energy to the song despite its challenging and potentially divisive themes. As the article states, the song is “there to be commended for its fable,” regardless of any reaction it provokes.

Musically, “Oblivion” stays true to the band’s established sound, featuring the Trio’s signature catchy guitar work and solid bass lines from Dan Andriano. The song is described as immediately impactful, making a “monumental impression” and revitalizing the punk landscape.

It’s a nuanced approach, though; the song doesn’t rely on excessive volume or exaggeration. Instead, it’s a well-rounded composition that avoids becoming repetitive. Lyrically, Skiba delivers a poetic and bleak exploration of war and personal struggles, all while grappling with internal turmoil. The band’s lyrical strength is well-known, and “Oblivion” continues that tradition, confronting difficult subjects—including “depictions of blood and death”—with unflinching honesty. Skiba doesn’t shy away from difficult truths, presenting his story directly and without compromise.

Ultimately, “Oblivion” is being hailed as a strong contribution to the punk genre, a truthful and compelling narrative that avoids getting bogged down in political arguments.

Source: silentradio.co.uk ↗

The initial lineup for Slam Dunk Festival 2025 has been revealed, with A Day To Remember, Neck Deep, and Alkaline Trio set to headline.

The festival will once again take place at two locations: Hatfield Park in the south and Leeds Temple Newsam in the north, on May 24th and 25th respectively. Organizers announced the first 20 bands joining the bill today, September 4th, with A Day To Remember being a particularly highly requested act.

This announcement arrives as A Day To Remember prepares to begin a US tour next month, and will mark both their first appearance at Slam Dunk and their first UK performance scheduled for 2025. The band stated, “We’re really excited to get back to the UK, and to play Slam Dunk for the first time.”

Alkaline Trio are also confirmed for the 2025 festival, following the release of their 2024 album ‘Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs’ and two new singles shared last month. They’ve already announced plans to perform a mix of their classic hits and newer songs during their set.

Joining them will be German six-piece Electric Callboy and Welsh pop-punk band Neck Deep. For Neck Deep, this news follows the release of a new album earlier this year, a tour with Sum 41, headline shows in both the US and UK, and a career-high performance at Alexandra Palace this summer.

The lineup also includes As It Is, Delilah Bon, Graphic Nature, Dream State, Hit The Lights, Hot Mulligan, Knuckle Puck, Less Than Jake, Mouth Culture Movements, New Found Glory, Split Chain, Stray From The Path, The Ataris, The Starting Line, The Used, and Zebrahead.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 6th, at 10am and can be purchased here.

The 2024 festival featured performances by You Me At Six, All-American Rejects, and I Prevail, among others. The Leeds edition was notably impacted by heavy rainfall, requiring an emergency weather update. Slam Dunk was also confirmed to host You Me At Six’s final festival performance in January, as the band plans to disband after a farewell tour next year. Frontman Josh Franceschi reflected on the significance of this, noting that Ben Ray, the festival booker, was their first manager and gave them their first show at The Cockpit in Leeds. He said, “I think it’s a really poetic ending to our great relationship.”

Recently, Neck Deep discussed their recent successes with NME at Reading & Leeds, highlighting a show in Jakarta that drew an estimated 10,000-25,000 attendees as a major milestone. Sam Bowden stated, “Soon it’ll be onto the next album and some more milestones, just trying to keep going.” Matt West added, “One thing that we’ve been consistent with is that we’ve never really wanted to stop. It’s always just been like, ‘We can do more, we can do bigger, we can keep going.’”

Source: nme.com ↗

Alkaline Trio has been recognized with a Rock Sound 25 Icon Award as part of the magazine’s celebration of its 25th anniversary. The award is one of many being given throughout 2024 to 25 artists who have been key to Rock Sound’s history, each accompanied by a new magazine cover shoot and an extensive interview.

Having emerged from the Chicago punk scene almost three decades ago, Alkaline Trio has consistently demonstrated a talent for dark themes and narrative songwriting. Over the course of ten studio albums, the band has become known for its willingness to experiment and challenge expectations, influencing numerous other artists in the process. As they accepted the Rock Sound 25 Icon award, Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano discussed the band’s evolution “from scrappy punk kids to boundary-pushing creatives” and reflected on the legacy they’ve created over the past twenty-seven years.

Fans can purchase the magazine featuring Alkaline Trio, along with photo prints and an exclusive t-shirt, at SHOP.ROCKSOUND.TV.

Source: rocksound.tv ↗

Alkaline Trio have just dropped *Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs*, their longest-awaited studio album to date, and it delivers a strong collection of new material alongside a poignant farewell to longtime drummer Derek Grant.

The album kicks off with “Hot For Preacher,” a fitting choice that blends Matt Skiba’s signature melodies with heavy guitar work, culminating in a powerful chorus enhanced by Dan Andriano’s vocal harmonies. “Meet Me” follows, showcasing some of the band’s most technically impressive playing before settling into a classic, brooding soundscape with eerie keyboard textures from Curtis Mathewson. “Version of You” then gives Andriano the lead vocal spotlight, built around another intricate riff and maintaining a consistently high level of quality.

Previously released single “Bad Time” slots perfectly into the fourth track position, described as a “fun anthem” supported by vibrant rhythm guitar. The band had been incorporating additional guitar layers into their live performances promoting the single, though they’ve occasionally featured a fourth member in the past. “Scars” then highlights Andriano’s vocal style over full, dynamic chords, and features Derek Grant’s precise storytelling. The album continues its momentum with “Break,” a faster-paced track where Cameron Webb’s mix combines gothic chimes with Skiba’s layered vocals and standout bass work from Andriano.

“Shake with Me” offers another pop-leaning number, and demonstrates Skiba’s ability to separate his work with Alkaline Trio from his five-year tenure in Blink-182. The band’s previous album, 2018’s *Is This Thing Cursed?*, sometimes felt like those lines were blurring, but *Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs* feels like a “complete thought.” It’s a cohesive record, perhaps intentionally so, and represents a level of focused songwriting not heard since 2005’s *Crimson*.

This sense of intentionality is further emphasized by the title track, released as a single some time ago. It contains all the hallmarks of a great Alkaline Trio song: dual vocals, a three-piece rock band arrangement, darkly humorous lyrics, and Grant’s impeccable drumming. It’s also a bittersweet moment, as it marks Grant’s final recording with the band after over twenty years. Atom Willard, known for his work with Against Me!, Angels & Airwaves, and the Offspring, is taking over on drums, and while he’s an exciting addition, it remains to be seen if his style will fully capture the nuances of Grant’s playing – his stylistic evolution from Mike Felumlee’s work on 2001’s *From Here To Infirmary* created a truly unique and influential drumming style.

A brief instrumental track, “Hinterlude,” provides a moment of ambience before “Broken Down In A Time Machine,” arguably Andriano’s most catchy contribution to the album. The song features a huge chorus, an open bridge, and sing-along vocals, all while maintaining a dissonant mood as the album nears its conclusion. “Teenage Heart” closes the record, opening with echoed guitars and a strong vocal intro from Skiba, before building into a driving retrospective. Andriano joins on the second verse, and the band returns to the chorus, bringing the album to a fitting close.

Overall, *Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs* is a strong release, showcasing some of Alkaline Trio’s best and most inspired writing in recent memory. It’s an album well worth checking out.

Source: punknews.org ↗