“Sinner,” the new single by Sacramento emotional post-hardcore rockers Yunger, premieres today ahead of their upcoming 2-song 7″ titled Alive, out Friday, July 11 via Negative Progression Records. The track was recorded by Nick Miller (A Skylit Drive) and mastered by Kris Crummett (Sleeping With Sirens, Issues, Dance Gavin Dance).
Wrapped in thick atmosphere and a melodic weight that never slips into excess, “Sinner” unfolds around the wreckage of a relationship gone cold. It’s less about anger, more about the slow burn of realizing someone you care for can’t meet you where you are.
“Sinner is a raw, emotionally charged track about the fallout of a toxic relationship and the painful clarity that comes with betrayal,” the band explains. “It captures the inner conflict of loving someone who can’t love you back.” Kinda hard not to spin it a second or third time—the track hangs somewhere between spiritual doubt and resignation, pulling heavy but still laced with romantic, haunting melodies.
Yunger formed in 2018 and has steadily built a name in Sacramento, self-releasing singles produced by Beau Burchell of Saosin. Drawing on influences from grunge, shoegaze, emo, and dark pop, their sound leans into moody textures without giving up weight or aggression. The band’s earlier collaborations with Burchell helped shape a big, layered sound that remains central to their identity. But the message, they say, has always been about more than just sonics.
With Alive, they continue that trajectory. The title track, according to vocalist Jay Malcuit, “explores the emotional weight of being someone’s savior while they spiral through inner turmoil. It reflects the frustration and heartbreak of watching someone self-destruct, all while relying on you to keep them afloat.”
The songs on Alive confront emotional limits and the contradictions of care—especially when it starts to eat you alive.
The band has reached 200,000 streams on Spotify and 150,000 on Apple Music, and their local support has grown steadily. A college and commercial radio campaign is set for this fall through Planetary Group. Yunger is also planning a West Coast tour in 2025 and a video for “Alive” to follow later this year.
The Alive 7″ marks their first release through Negative Progression Records. You can pre-save the release here, and stream “Sinner” now.
