Taken Alive released “Ashes” on December 12, alongside a music video, marking both the first official step toward their debut full-length and their first release through Pnwk Records.
The single arrives after the record was announced on December 8 and sets the tone for what the band plans to roll out across early 2026, with more singles scheduled for January and February.
“Ashes” sits at a clear emotional breaking point. The band describe it plainly: “Ashes was written to reflect a breaking point where you know that something in your life (politics, boss, family) have taken things too far, but you are unable to up and leave.” The song isn’t about escape as a clean solution, but about staying put when walking away isn’t an option. “Facing the frustration and emotions of the situation, while trying to fight for something better, and to cut ties with what you hope will soon be the past.”
That sense of being cornered but still pushing forward runs through both the song and the way Taken Alive talk about where they come from. Joe from the band traces it back to northern Vermont and upstate New York, “where you’re so close to Canada that half the road signs are in French.” It’s not an area known for exporting emo or punk bands. “Outside of folk music and jam bands, it’s rare that someone makes it to the big leagues out of here. It’s not uncommon to drive 3+ hours for a cool local-ish band.”
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He frames it less like nostalgia and more like routine: sitting in a car, a burned CD or cassette aux, a parking lot outside a discount grocery store. “For me, that band was Drug Church,” he adds, grounding the influence without overstating it. The scene itself is described as fragile and repetitive, but held together by stubborn commitment. “The VT emo/punk scene is totally underground. That means there are some absolute diehard folks who fight to keep the scene alive for everyone.” Venues close, new ones open, bands rotate through the same rooms, and it keeps going anyway. “Rinse and repeat.”
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Taken Alive are now split between Vermont and Connecticut, which Joe calls “two vastly different scenes, despite being within hours of each other.” Connecticut, in contrast, feels expansive and active. “The CT scene is exploding. Amazing DIY spots host sold-out shows and an annual festival called Shoreline summer fest never fails to pack the place for local acts.” The shift hasn’t diluted the band’s identity; if anything, it’s reinforced why they play. “The support for music in CT is infectious and we’ve been welcomed in with open arms.”
That context matters when listening to “Ashes.” The song is tied to systems you can’t easily leave — work, family, politics — and to scenes that survive because people refuse to let them disappear. Joe puts it simply: “We were all the kid who would stop at nothing to see their favorite bands play live.” Even if venues vanish, “we’ll always be somewhere, playing as intensely as we can, trying to be the band those kids worked so hard to see.”
The track was written and performed by Taken Alive, produced and mastered by Gary Cioni at Sound Acres Studio, mixed by James Paul Wisner. The video was filmed by Ruston and Sarah Fettig and edited by Alex Zarek. “Ashes” is now streaming on Spotify and Apple Music, and the video is available on YouTube.
