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Hard To Explain ‘Hell To Pay’ (album) out 7/11/25!

HARD TO EXPLAIN
‘HELL TO PAY’

BRAND NEW ALBUM OUT 7/11/25 (SODEH RECORDS)

https://linktr.ee/hardtoexplainofficialband

Emerging from the gritty heart of Northern Ireland’s underground metal scene, Hard To Explain crash onto the stage with their blistering debut album, Hell To Pay – a record that doesn’t ask for forgiveness and refuses to pull punches.

Forged in the chaos of post-lockdown frustration and small-town disillusionment, Hell To Pay is an unrelenting sonic assault that blends crushing riffs, razor-sharp vocals, and gut-punching rhythms. Drawing from a deep well of influences – from classic thrash and groove metal to the modern aggression of metalcore – the album is both a homage to the genre’s roots and a bold step forward

Lyrically, Hell To Pay is a war cry against complacency, hypocrisy, and the darkness we carry within. Each track is a raw, cathartic release – steeped in anger, honesty, and a relentless refusal to stay silent.

This isn’t metal made for charts – it’s made for the pit. For the outcasts, the angry, and the unapologetically loud. Hard To Explain aren’t just announcing their arrival – they’re kicking down the door!

New album Hell To Pay will be released 7/11/25
at 00:00 GMT across all streaming platforms.

Pre-save via:
https://bfan.link/hell-to-pay-2

RUNNING ORDER:

1. All Our Days
2. Forget Me
3. S!CK
4. Hell To Pay
5. Lust
6. Watch Me (Remaster)
7. This Too, Shall Pass
8. Wolves
9. Young & Free (Remaster)
10. Sit Down, Don’t Speak
11. Pray To Me

Produced by Ally Donald & Chris Kelly
Performed by Hard To Explain

Songwriters – Aisling FaulknerChris KellyJonathan KerrShea SmithEbony White & Ally Donald

Special thanks to Dee & Kevin McDaid and Aisling’s cousins for letting us use their house for recording parts of the album!

TRACK BY TRACK BIOS:1. ALL OUR DAYS

All Our Days opens the album with a sense of quiet wonder and emotional clarity. Rooted in themes of serendipity and vulnerability, the song tells the story of finding love when it was least expected – not in grand moments, but in the quiet in-betweens of everyday life. With tender lyrics and an intimate melody, it captures the feeling of stumbling into something real, something lasting, just when you’d stopped looking. As the first track, it sets the tone for the album – hopeful, reflective, and deeply human.

2. FORGET ME

Forget Me hits hard as the second track on the album, shifting gears from the soft hopefulness of the opener into raw, unfiltered emotion. Driven by gritty riffs and a heavy pulse, the song dives into the quiet ache that lingers after the storm of heartbreak has passed. It’s about the moment when the anger fades, and you’re left with silence — the realization that someone you once knew might actually forget you. Honest, cathartic, and unapologetically loud, Forget Me captures the grief beneath the noise, laying bare the part of heartbreak no one wants to talk about.3. S!CK

S!CK crashes in as the third track – a fierce, unapologetic anthem about betrayal and the kind of breakup that leaves scars. Fuelled by venomous lyrics, distorted guitars, and a defiant energy, the song unpacks the feeling of being stabbed in the back by someone you trusted most. It’s raw, it’s loud, and it doesn’t hold back – the sound of a heart breaking and bleeding out in real time. S!CK is where the pain turns into power, pushing back against the lies, the games, and the wreckage left behind.

4. HELL TO PAY

Hell To Pay, the album’s title track and emotional centrepiece, plunges deep into the shadows. Haunted by themes of consequence, obsession, and the occult, this song conjures a world where every action has a cost – and the debt is always collected. With ominous tones, ritualistic rhythms, and lyrics that toe the line between the spiritual and the supernatural, Hell To Pay feels like a descent into something ancient and unforgiving. It’s not just a song – it’s a reckoning. As the fourth track, it marks a turning point in the album’s narrative, where the emotional fallout starts to feel otherworldly.

5. LUST

Lust drips with intensity as the fifth track on the album – a crushing, distorted anthem about desire at its most unhinged. It’s not gentle, and it’s not sweet – this is want turned violent, obsession with teeth. Riff-heavy and pulsing with raw energy, Lust explores the darker edge of longing – when needing someone consumes you, claws into your thoughts, and leaves no room for anything else. With thunderous drums and a vocal delivery that teeters between desperate and dangerous, the track doesn’t ask – it demands. This isn’t love. It’s fixation. And it hits hard.

6. WATCH ME (REMASTERED)

Watch Me returns louder, sharper, and more defiant than ever as the sixth track on the album – a remastered revival of the fan-favourite originally released in 2023. This version hits harder in every way, carrying the same no-holds-barred message: I see you doubting me – now watch me prove you wrong. Fuelled by grit, swagger, and a relentless drive, Watch Me is an anthem for anyone who’s ever been underestimated. With tighter production, heavier tones, and even more bite, this updated version doesn’t just settle the score – it flips the script entirely.

7. THIS TOO, SHALL PASS

This Too, Shall Pass stands tall as the seventh track on the album – a heavy, emotionally charged anthem forged in the fire of struggle. Blending crushing guitars with soaring leads and dynamic shifts, the track delivers a powerful message: no matter how dark it gets, the pain won’t last forever. Lyrically introspective but musically relentless, This Too, Shall Pass channels despair into strength, carving out hope through walls of distortion and haunting vocals. It’s the kind of track that drags you through the storm just to show you the sky still opens – brutal, beautiful, and undeniably cathartic.

8. WOLVES

Wolves tears in as the eighth track on the album – a rallying cry about loyalty, survival, and strength in numbers. With pounding drums, razor-sharp riffs, and an anthemic chorus built for shouting back at the world, this song is all about standing your ground and backing your people. Wolves channels the instinct to fight for your own, drawing power from the idea of a pack – unbreakable, untouchable, and always watching each other’s backs. It’s aggressive, primal, and unifying – the sound of brotherhood forged in fire.

9. YOUNG & FREE (REMASTERED)

Young & Free returns as the ninth track on the album – a remastered slow burner that captures the reckless spirit and bittersweet freedom of youth. Originally released in 2023, this track is a heartfelt reflection on those fleeting moments when everything feels limitless: the nights that stretch on forever, the wild dreams, and the raw energy of being untethered. With its slow tempo, emotive vocals, and atmospheric instrumentation, Young & Free is both a celebration and a remembrance – a sonic snapshot of that restless, untamed time in life where the world is yours to take.

10. SIT DOWN, DONT SPEAK

Sit Down, Don’t Speak roars as the penultimate track – a fierce, no-nonsense anthem of rebellion against the patriarchy and the oppressive voices that try to silence us. With sharp, aggressive riffs and biting lyrics, the song channels the frustration and anger of being told where to stand, how to act, and what to believe. It’s a bold statement of refusal – a call to break free from outdated rules and claim your own voice. Sit Down, Don’t Speak is raw, unapologetic, and empowering – a sonic middle finger to anyone who tries to hold you back.

11. PRAY TO ME

Pray For Me closes the album with a chilling descent into fear and vulnerability. Wrapped in witchy, occultist vibes, the song explores the unsettling grip of helplessness – that shadow lurking beneath the surface when you feel powerless against forces beyond control. With eerie melodies, haunting vocals, and an ominous, almost ritualistic atmosphere, Pray For Me is both a plea and a warning. It leaves listeners suspended between dread and fascination, a fitting final chapter that lingers long after the last note fades.

FOR FANS OF:
BRING ME THE HORIZON ● SPIRIT BOX ● PRESIDENT