Following the release of their singles “Hurts Like Hell” in 2022, as well as “Vampyre” and “Secrets” in 2023, and the recent drop of “I Still Believe” at the top of 2024, New Years Day is back with a tantalizing glimpse into their forthcoming fifth studio album, Half Black Heart. Today, the group has unleashed the titular track, a powerful soundscape enriched by an infusion of guitar and drum-heavy industrial instrumentation. Frontwoman Ash Costello‘s unmistakable talent ignites the new song ablaze, delivering a scorching performance that grips listeners as she utters the opening lines, “Who died and made you king?/Who crowned you anything?”
“‘Half Black Heart’ is my anthem!” Costello shares. “The concept behind it is simple yet powerful—no one is purely one thing. Nobody is so flawless that they have the right to pass judgment on someone else’s flaws. We all exist as a mix of good and bad, innocence and guilt, a bit angelic and a bit devilish.”
She continues, “The message is rooted in the idea that ‘he who is without sin can cast the first stone,’ meaning that no one is in a position to judge because everyone makes mistakes. I don’t believe in the idea of a flawless human being, and this song is my way of addressing those who may expect perfection from me. Essentially, it’s a declaration that neither I nor anyone else will ever be perfect.”
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The group’s upcoming full-length record, Half Black Heart, is scheduled to arrive via Century Media Records on Friday, March 1. You can presave or preorder the album here.
Additionally, New Years Day will embark on a brief tour run with Lacuna Coil, kicking off on May 2 in Wilmington, DE, before performances at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL, and at Sonic Temple in Columbus, OH. You can check out the group’s touring schedule below and get tickets to see them live here.
Tour Dates:
- May 2—Wilmington, DE @ The Queen
- May 3—Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony
- May 4—Reading, PA @ Reverb
- May 6—Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
- May 7—Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
- May 9—Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville
- May 11—Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
- May 13—Fort Smith, AR @ Temple Live
- May 14—Wichita, KS @ TempleLive at Wichita Scottish Rite Center*
- May 16—Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival*
* Without Lacuna Coil.