BLUE GRAPE MUSIC is thrilled to welcome Southern California’s INITIATE — Crystal Pak [vocals], Michael Morales [bass], Draven Carter [guitar], Manning Gray [guitar], and John Hodge [drums] — to the label’s global roster.
The band will drop the new WITH LOVE // WITH RAGE EP on August 7. Pre-order it here.
“When I looked back at the lyrics, everything read as a letter, either to another person in my life, my friends, or myself,” reveals Pak. “However, a letter to a friend would be signed off ‘With Love’ not ‘With Rage.’ I intentionally wrote these songs, so they spoke to these two opposing feelings: Love and rage. You can tell which tracks spill to which side.”
Today, the band has shared the video for “NUMB THE PAIN.” Watch the Bella Petro-directed visual here.
Widening their collective palette, the musicians nodded to inspirations as diverse as Hum, Deftones, Jane’s Addiction, Rage Against The Machine, and Failure as well as longtime favorites Paramore. “We all wondered, ‘What would it sound like if Clairo wrote a Quicksand record?,'” Pak says.
Pak continues, “The song starts off with a callback to our last single, ‘Alone At the Bottom,’ showcasing the ebbs and flows that life can throw at you. Where much of hardcore leans into anthems of brotherhood and sisterhood, this track still embraces those themes, but frames them through a more introspective lens. The addition of melodic softness and acoustic elements makes it clear from the outset that this is meant to land differently — not as a rallying cry, but as something more personal and reflective.”
She finishes. “In a way, it stands apart while still feeling connected to the core of what we do — expanding our sound without losing the heart behind it, and showing that strength doesn’t always have to come through volume alone.”
Initiate will remain on the road for much of 2026. They recently played festivals and headline gigs in Europe and the UK, including a much buzzed-about performance at Outbreak in Manchester. At the festival, Pak joined La Dispute on stage for their set and it was truly a moment that won’t be forgotten. The band will also appear at Warped Tour and then support Senses Fail and Koyo this fall. Dates are below.
WITH LOVE // WITH RAGE EP TRACK LISTING:
“Burn After Reading”
“Delusions”
“Shadowboxing”
“Numb the Pain”
“Future Saving Grace”
INITIATE ON TOUR:
FESTIVALS:
7/25–7/26—Long Beach, CA—Warped Tour
8/21–8/22—Montréal, QC—Warped Tour
9/11–9/13—Edmonton, AB—Purple City Music Festival
10/23–10/25—Gainesville, FL—The Fest
11/14–11/15—Orlando, FL—Warped Tour
WITH SENSES FAIL + KOYO:
11/19—Los Angeles, CA—Belasco
11/20—Las Vegas, NV—House of Blues
11/21—San Diego, CA—Observatory North Park
11/23—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom
11/24—Seattle, WA—Neptune Theatre
11/27—Salt Lake City, UT—The Depot
11/28—Denver, CO—Summit Music Hall
11/30—Dallas, TX—Echo Lounge & Music Hall
12/1—San Antonio, TX—Aztec Theatre
12/2—Houston, TX—House of Blues
12/4—St. Petersburg, FL—Jannus Live
12/5—Atlanta, GA—Buckhead Theatre
12/6—Nashville, TN—Brooklyn Bowl
12/8—Chicago, IL—House of Blues
12/9—Cincinnati, OH—Bogart’s
12/11—Detroit, MI—Saint Andrew’s Hall
12/12—Toronto, ON—Opera House
12/13—Montreal, QC—Théâtre Beanfield
12/15—Boston, MA—Big Night Live
12/16—Philadelphia, PA—Theatre of Living Arts
12/18—Brooklyn, NY—Warsaw
