“Negative Creeps,” the new single from Cold Phase, is out today, and it’s a gritty slice of hardcore goes somewhere between Trapped Under Ice’s raw edge with a melodic undertow reminiscent of Verse or Have Heart.
The track, premiering right here, kicks off with a snarl and digs into the kind of self-reflection that stings.
“I wrote these lyrics when I was questioning myself about being so negative all the time,” says the band’s vocalist. “Most people were always criticizing stuff, nothing was good enough—especially in the music scene. I didn’t want to be a ‘negative creep.’” The title nods to Nirvana’s song, sparked by a memory of someone trashing Kurt Cobain. “I was a huge fan as a kid and still love the band,” he adds. “It was enough for me to think of those kinds of people as ‘negative creeps.’”
Cold Phase isn’t a fresh start from scratch. It’s built from the bones of other bands—Nico, Tom, and ex-drummer Igor kicked it off in 2023, pulling from their time in The Lumberjack Feedback, Bare Teeth, and Barque.
Yan, currently splitting duties with November and Sick Nerves, and the vocalist joined soon after. Igor stepped away, but Hugo (from Dear Liars and Ethna) filled in for a gig and laid down drums for the upcoming EP.
Then, in a twist, their recording engineer Olive T’Servancx—who tracked the sessions at Electrik studio—jumped in as the permanent drummer. “We started to joke about him joining,” the band says. “Luckily, he took it seriously and stepped in.” With the lineup locked, the six tracks got polished by Role Wiegner at die Tonmeisterei, and the full EP’s slated for 2025.
“Negative Creeps” sets the tone: it’s about shaking off the weight of constant cynicism, a theme that hits hard in a scene that can sometimes feel like it’s drowning in it.
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The band’s stoked to get it out there. “We expect to play shows to fully express those songs,” they say. “It’s an understatement to say we can’t wait.” For now, this single’s the first taste—sharp, loud, and unapologetic. The rest is coming soon.
