As an indication the current health of heavy music, Bristol prospects Split Chain are among the best examples of the forecast of future. A stylistic amalgam of emo, grunge, shoegaze and nu-metal, the band's pedigree offers an obvious nod to greats like Deftones, Basement and Superheaven all while stamping their own signature. 

Aligning with Epitaph Records, the band has announced their debut full length release with the confirmation of motionblur. Due out July 11th, the album pays homage to the 90's era mesh of metallic melody while steering clear of rehashing familiar troupes. A shining example of old soul and new blood, the album is introduced by the emotive single, "bored.tired. torn."

Frontman Bert Martinez-Cowles offered his perspective on the track and the personal implications of the single. “‘bored.tired.torn’ explores the difficulty and pain of growing up in a broken childhood home.

Thematically the song centers on whether or not someone should have to deal with the shit they’re dealt by relatives just because they’re family. The song is a declaration against that, and tries to positively convey the message that nobody has to put up with it just because they’re share blood with the people hurting them. Don’t feel bound to it just because society would expect you to, always make the best decision for yourself regardless of what anybody else makes of it. You’ll be grateful you did."

The band's bassist, Tom Davies, offered more insight on how the record is definitive for the band. In much the same way the songs reflect their myriad of influences, the depth of the songs speak to their emotional growth just the same. “’motionblur’ is as much a coming-of-age story as it is a celebration of our adolescence and the things that defined us. We wanted to encapsulate the feelings of angst and isolation that so many struggle with growing up—but just as importantly, we wanted to honor the things that shaped us: the lifestyles, the music, and the pop culture that became part of our identity.

Davies added, This album is an amalgamation of our individual and collective experiences. While its themes can be dark, at its core, ‘motionblur’ is about resilience—about making it through without letting those experiences weigh you down. It was crucial for us to create an album that felt like a cohesive piece of art while still being sonically diverse. We wanted to capture the feeling of growing up in an era when albums were more than just collections of songs—they were experiences, meant to be played from start to finish, over and over again."

Ahead of the album's arrival, Split Chain are due to take on several North American tour dates supporting the likes of Teenage Wrist, Better Lovers and Silverstein along with an appearance at LDB Fest next month. See a current list of dates below. 

motionblur, the debut album from Split Chain lands July 11th via Epitaph Records. Order the release - HERE