It was five years ago now that a series of violent crimes against people of color absolutely rocked Americans, well, those of us with empathy, at least. We also entered unprecedented times as a global pandemic brought things to a screeching halt. People disinfected their groceries and wept over the stories running on NPR while the president recommended injecting bleach. Suffice it to say, there was plenty to yell about.

Present day and it seems little has changed for New Jersey’s Kirkby Kiss, the five-piece affectionately named after a headbutt. Today we’re dropping a fresh new track of pumped up, frenetic hardcore with the track “Hymn From Hemorrhage.”

“Hymn From Hemorrhage” is the first new music from Kirkby Kiss since their 2024 split with Medicinal, and the track is an excellent reminder that emotional hardcore, rooted in our shared human experience, is still alive and well in 2025. This is fantastic news for folks who enjoy their hardcore nodding simultaneously to its punk roots. “Hymn for the Hemorrhage” veers off into heavy and chaotic, while retaining, somehow, the pop sensibilities to keep guitar riffs stuck in your head for days on end.

It’s no doubt that you’ll find some amalgamation of sounds from a band who turn to friends and peers as a primary influence. Hundreds of AU, Medicinal, Wrong War and Usurp Synapse are all loved and respected, but not in a way which shapes a given style, but one that respects the process. “We’re not so much trying to sound like them but we are inspired by the way these bands push themselves creatively.” writes guitarist, Michael Shepherd. Though he does point out that himself and other Kirkby Kiss guitarist Michael Ramirez did get sucked into the Deadguy documentary, and that it may have influenced the songs on their forthcoming LP.

“THE THEME IS THE SAME AS IT ALWAYS IS FOR US. CATHARTIC RELEASE THROUGH MUSIC — SCREAMING INTO THE VOID ABOUT PERSONAL, MENTAL, AND SOCIALLY POLITICAL TOPICS THAT AFFECT US AND LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE.”

- MICHAEL SHEPHERD, @KIRBYKISS

Providing insight into the writing process, Shep describes the efforts as organic and collaborative. “Very few songs are brought to practice fully written. Even when that happens, each band member writes their own parts.” With a melting pot of influences from Tommy McGreevy (bass), Frank Burdynski (drums) and Natale Amato (vocals), this communicative approach showcases the sum of these influences.

Where influence is concerned, this track, alongside ten other songs, were recorded at Frost Gauntlet Recording over a series of sessions with Ben Karas. For this recording effort the band spent six-days in the studio, recording scratch drums live, and then adding in the layers of stringed instruments thereafter. And it was in this writing process that the band took their sphere of influence beyond their core members. Karas added violin on a track, and guest vocals from members of Hard 2 Kill, Medicinal, and Discharge, and Shep’s wife, Amanda, who contributed the spoken word section on “Hymn From Hemorrhage,” all recorded and played back from a field recording on an iPhone.

“We’re really proud of this record and feel like it’s heavy as fuck,” Shep writes, before adding: “Heavy in feeling, not sound. Although, it’s pretty heavy that way, too!”. The glimmer of heavy exists in the riffs, the drumming and vocals really elevate that track with regards to heaviness here, but lyrically, ‘Snake eats tail / but not much else / Hymns from hemorrhage / You shed the skin / but slide back in / Hymns from hemorrhage' is a quick jab to the solar plexus..

The orchids know You can’t let go Hymns from hemorrhage

The flowers die Leaves still grow Hymns from hemorrhage

Hemorrhage

Snake eats tail But not much else Hymns from hemorrhage

You shed the skin But slide back in Hymns from hemorrhage

Kirkby Kiss is hitting road for a quick weekend jaunt with Mt.Ida. They’ll be hitting Queens, NY on 6/13, Salem, MA on 6/14, and Providence, RI on 6/15. More weekend dates in Jersey/Philly in July.

The full length will release on August 1st, 2025. Council Records will release the record on vinyl, Protagonist Music will be releasing cassettes. “Hymns From Hemorrhage” is the debut single, and it is an absolute ripper. Smash play, follow the band, get out to a show, and enjoy the hell out of this one.

Kirkby Kiss is Head is Natale Amato on vocals, Michael Shepherd & Michael Ramirez on guitars, Thomas McGreevy on bass and Frank Burdynski on drums.

Follow them on Instagram here : Kirkby Kiss

Writer : @garevthistle

Editor : @just_reidz

06/09/25

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Kirkby Kiss

“THE THEME IS THE SAME AS IT ALWAYS IS FOR US. CATHARTIC RELEASE THROUGH MUSIC — SCREAMING INTO THE VOID ABOUT PERSONAL, MENTAL, AND SOCIALLY POLITICAL TOPICS THAT AFFECT US AND LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE.”

- MICHAEL SHEPHERD, @KIRBYKISS

Gil Cerrone

Amid The Old Wounds

NOT JUST A PHASE