If you grew up rinsing The Story So Far, Neck Deep, Knuckle Puck and that whole mid-2010s pop punk wave, In Balance might be about to land straight on your radar.
The Bakersfield band have dropped their new single “Two Steps Behind,” and it feels like the sound of snapping out of a bad situation and finally moving on without looking back. Fast, melodic, and built to be shouted back in a packed room, this one leans hard into urgency without losing its heart.
The band describe the track as a release in every sense of the word. It’s quick, punchy, and unapologetic, with soaring choruses and relentless momentum pushing everything forward. Lyrically, it hits that familiar nerve of cutting ties with people who keep letting you down, breaking promises, and draining your energy. It’s not subtle, and it doesn’t try to be. That honesty is the point.
Vocalist Marcel shared that the song started as a simple idea to write something really fast, before evolving into something bigger after a lot of experimenting. Different versions were tried, ideas were stitched together, and some of the best moments came from total accidents. The result is a track the band are clearly proud of, and one that feels like a statement of intent rather than just another single.
Production wise, they’ve levelled up too. “Two Steps Behind” was produced and mixed by Kyle Black, whose résumé includes Paramore, State Champs, and Pierce The Veil, and mastered by Kris Crummett. You can hear that experience all over it. Everything feels sharp, detailed, and built to hit hard without losing clarity, especially when the song really opens up.
If you’ve followed In Balance before, you’ll recognise flashes of what made tracks like “Vertigo” connect so strongly, but this feels tighter, faster, and more confident. It’s very much a band leaning into what they do best while pushing themselves forward at the same time.
“Two Steps Behind” is out now, and if this is the direction In Balance are heading in, fans of modern pop punk with roots in the mid-tens era are going to feel right at home!
