“The UK band have absorbed the grunge, shoegaze, nu metal, and emo of the late ’90s and early 2000s, and they spit it all back out” – BrooklynVegan
Since forming in 2023, UK based Split Chain – vocalist Roberto Martinez-Cowles, guitarists Oli Bowles and Jake Reid, bassist Tom Davies and drummer Aaron Black – have been busy making waves with their brazen mixture of shoegaze and nu metal influences that they call “nu-gaze”. Backed by a handful a self-released tracks amassing 10 Million streams to date, their organic momentum has led them to a home with Epitaph Records as they continue to extend their global reach.
After teaming up to quietly release the energetic rager, “Haven” back in June – described by The Alternative as the band’s “heaviest yet” – the fivesome are sharing their second single under the label, “(Re)-Extract Feat. Softcult” out today. A reconstruction of an early Split Chain release, the darkly melodic track immerses you in a densely layered arrangement of droning guitars and thundering drums that give way to melancholic verses and a hypnotic hook.
Inspired by the band’s experiences with addiction, they explain, “It’s so easy to get stuck in negative spirals, admitting defeat and accepting it as part of you and your personality; when in fact it is possible to find a way out.” Check out the accompanying music video below, directed and edited by the band themselves:
SPLIT CHAIN “(Re)-Extract (feat Softcult)” MUSIC VIDEO
“We’ve always been drawn to artists who push boundaries and create something truly unique,” label owner and founder Brett Gurewitz comments on the signing. “Split Chain captures the spirit of innovation with their sound, blending raw emotion and sonic textures in a way that’s fresh and powerful. We’re excited to welcome them to the Epitaph family.”
Split Chain and Brett Gurewitz by Raymond van Mil
On today’s announcement the band enthuses, “We could never even imagine we’d be in the position we’re in today; we are just in so much shock. Epitaph is a label that we all grew up with and found new music through, which had such an impact on all of our lives. We could not be more thankful to the team at Epitaph for taking a chance on us.”
Re-creating this track felt like a full-circle moment for the members of Split Chain: “Being able to look back now and be proud of knowing that facing up to ourselves, making life changing decisions to better our circumstances through our friendships and our art, and for this to be able to get us all to a place we’d only dream of is mind boggling.”
Formed as a creative outlet while on the road to recovery from addiction, the band members came together and cemented a deep bond over the healing power of music. By channeling their personal struggles into emotionally charged songs, they have connected with a growing fan base drawn to their vulnerability and honesty. “We were writing music as an escape, a distraction, to create what we wanted to listen to,” the band explains. “We ended up loving what we had created so much, and from this, Split Chain was formed.”
Split Chain On Tour
w/ Boston Manor + Trophy Eyes
Sept. 18 – Nottingham, UK – Rock City
Sept. 19 – Manchester, UK – 02 Ritz
Sept. 20 – Leeds, UK – Project House *SOLD OUT
Sept. 22 – Glasgow, UK – SWG3
Sept. 24 – Bristol, UK – SWX
Sept. 25 – Southampton, UK – Engine Rooms
Sept. 26 – Birmingham, UK – XOYO Birmingham
Sept. 27 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
w/ Trophy Eyes
Sept. 28 – Paris, FR – Backstage By The Mill
Sept. 30 – Antwerp, BE – Kavka Oudaan
Oct. 1 – Eindhoven, NL – Dynamo
Oct. 2 – Haarlem, NL – Patronaat
Oct. 3 – Copenhagen, DK – Pumpehuset
Oct. 5 – Munster, DE – Skaters Palace Café
Oct. 6 – Leipzig, DE – Naumanns
Oct. 8 – Warsaw, PL – Voodoo
Oct. 9 – Prague, CZ – Bike Jesus
Oct. 10 – Nurnberg, DE – Z-Bau
Oct. 11 – Aarau, CH – Kiff
