It’s been four years since we last wrote about Wellington’s metallic hardcore band Brainwave, who blew us away with their heavy EP “The Decline” back in 2020. Now, they’re back with a vengeance, dropping their new single “The Truth” today on all major platforms.
Drawing on classic ’90s metal and hardcore acts like Machine Head and Biohazard while weaving in modern elements, this track marks the next evolution for the band. Everything is faster, harder, and more aggressive. We’ve got a potent mix of dirty thrash metal and hardcore punk, featuring a super meaty breakdown that makes me fear what it could unleash during live shows—all packed into two minutes and 15 seconds.
“We love that gritty era of metal, hardcore, and hip-hop, and wanted to capture that as much as possible in both the song and video,” vocalist Rob Thompson said.
The music video features cameos from many of their friends. “The Wellington hardcore (04HC) scene is thriving right now, and we were stoked to be able to feature so many of our closest friends in the video,” Thompson added. “You’ll see members from the bands Lucre, Happy Valley, Molosser, Deathtrippa, and Piss Baby, as well as members of Start Today Crew, a collective of scene veterans who run monthly all-ages shows in Wellington. It’s hard to overstate the impact that Start Today have had on hardcore in Wellington and Aotearoa more broadly by connecting youth to the scene, giving bands a space to play, and creating that sense of community that is so unique to hardcore.”
On the lyrical front, Thompson took a more personal route this time around. “In the past, I’ve leaned towards more politically motivated lyrics, but with this single, I felt like taking a more personal approach,” he explained.
“Things have happened over the years that left me with a lot of anger and frustration, and it just got to a point where I needed to let it out. In particular, myself and those around me have seen people come into our community and cause inexcusable hurt to others. In most cases, these people have tried playing the victim when they were caught out, only to either continue the behavior or run away with their tail between their legs. So, I wrote this song as a reminder to those people and a warning to anyone like them; we’re not tolerating your bullshit anymore.”
When it comes to influences on the song, the band isn’t shy about their inspirations. Their previous releases have been heavily influenced by the likes of Power Trip, No Warning, and Cruel Hand.
“While those elements are still very much in this track, we’ve been talking a lot about ’80s and ’90s metal and hardcore acts, and even hip-hop artists, as both sonic and visual references. The most obvious contemporary reference for the video is probably Speed, but real heads will see nods to Biohazard, Machine Head, and even Nas if they know what to look for.” – says Thompson.
View this post on Instagram
Hardcore has always been about community, and Brainwave embodies that spirit. “Hardcore is all about community. We’ve shared good times, hard times, and everything in between. Wherever Brainwave goes, we represent our scene, our friends, our family,” Thompson concludes.
