By GRACE DETWILER
‘Rock is dead,’ they said. Well, they hadn’t heard of New Years Day. After bursting onto the hard rock scene in 2007, the band rose to prominence within the genre in the late 2010s with their 2017 album Malevolence. Fronted by the enigmatic Ash Costello, New Years Day demands a listener’s attention with rollicking heavy metal guitars, Costello’s powerful voice, and the passionate lyrics penned by her hand. With five singles out so far, they are set to release their fifth album HALF BLACK HEART on March 1.
Photo credit: Matt Akana
The band is comprised of Costello, Nikki Misery (Lead Guitar), Jeremy Valentyne (Guitar), Brandon Wolfe (Bass), and Trixx (Drums). Last fall the group embarked on The Kiss of Death Tour with In This Moment and Ice Nine Kills, in addition to being featured on WWE NXT’s Halloween Havoc. With the release of HALF BLACK HEART, New Years Day is gearing up for tour later this year.
Throughout HALF BLACK HEART, Costello explores the duality within herself and all people. Her lyrics feature binary themes of love and rage, tenderness and toughness, passion and despair. Replete with invocations of gothic imagery and a great deal of emotion, HALF BLACK HEART is a record that melds rock, metal, and hardcore with occasional electronic touches. Backed by chugging guitars and savage drumming, Costello unleashes her wrath through the strength of her voice, which fluctuates between velvety softness and harsh screams.
Of the title track, Costello says “‘Half Black Heart’ is my anthem! The concept behind it is simple yet powerful – no one is purely one thing. Nobody is so flawless that they have the right to pass judgment on someone else’s flaws. We all exist as a mix of good and bad, innocence and guilt, a bit angelic and a bit devilish.” New Years Day announced HALF BLACK HEART in late 2023, following the release of singles “Vampyre” and “Secrets”. The record also features the band’s 2022 hit “Hurts Like Hell,” and other highlights like “Burn It All Down” and “I Still Believe.”
Fans can catch New Years Day back on the road this spring with Lacuna Coil. They’ll also be performing at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
5/2 – Wilmington, DE @ The Queen
5/3 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony
5/4 – Reading, PA @ Reverb
5/6 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
5/7 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
5/9 – Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville
5/11 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
5/13 – Fort Smith, AR @ Temple Live
5/14 – Wichita, KS @ TempleLive at Wichita Scottish Rite Center
5/16 – Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival
