There’s something special about watching a band arrive with absolute intent, and I Promised The World feel like one of those rare moments where everything clicks at once. Their new single “A Pure Expression” is out now, and it’s one of those tracks that quietly pulls you in before you even realise you’ve gone all the way under. It’s the second taste of their upcoming self-titled EP, landing January 16 via Rise Records, and honestly, it feels like the moment this band steps into the spotlight for real.
The song opens in a way that makes you stop whatever you’re doing. It’s patient, almost gentle, sitting in that space where screamo, Midwest emo and post hardcore overlap without fighting each other. Then it slowly erupts, all texture and tension, switching between raw emotion and full-throttle catharsis. You can hear the fingerprints of producers Jon Markson and Adam Cichocki all over it, especially in the way the quieter moments breathe before everything hits with full weight.
It’s impossible to talk about this band without acknowledging the heart behind it. Frontman Caleb Molina started I Promised The World in the shadow of losing his father to COVID in 2020. Even though the band didn’t officially form until 2023, that loss sits at the core of everything they do. But what’s so striking about this new music is how it refuses to stay in the darkness. It doesn’t wallow. It reaches. It tries. It celebrates. The EP feels like it’s shaping up to honour his dad’s life just as much as it channels the grief left behind.
And they’ve moved fast. In just two years they’ve already shared stages with Deafheaven, Midrit and Koyo, and you get the sense they’re only just warming up. With today’s single they’ve also announced their first ever US headline tour, which feels perfectly timed. This is the kind of band you want to see in a packed room while they’re still hungry and building something huge.
The EP arrives in January with five tracks that already look set to lean into the emotional range the band have become known for: Proud, A Pure Expression, Bliss In 7 Languages, Future Worth Dying For and Emerald Waltz. If the new single is anything to go by, this is going to be one of those debut moments where everything shifts at once.
If you’re looking for a band that means every word they sing, this is your sign. Give “A Pure Expression” a listen and let it hit you the way it’s meant to.
