Post-hardcore newcomers Held. have arrived with undeniable force. Their debut full-length, GREY, is out now via MNRK Heavy, and early critical reception positions it as one of the most exciting arrivals in heavy music this year.
Critics have been quick to praise the record’s volatile energy and emotional depth. Alternative Press calls it “both fresh and fully realized… an urgent, volatile, and surprising sonic storm that just won’t let up.” Revolver highlights its “brawny yet melodic post-hardcore,” while Kerrang! describes the album as “a celebration of life’s complexity and endless shades of emotion.” Vice draws direct but flattering comparisons, noting it feels like “a perfect combination of The Sleeping and Coheed and Cambria while also being wholly original,” and Rock Sound simply deems it “as sensational as it is unique.”
The band’s lineup brings together proven veterans who sound reinvigorated. It features The Sleeping’s Douglas Robinson and Salvatore Mignano alongside Coheed and Cambria drummer Josh Eppard. Recorded with producer Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain, The Story So Far) at The Animal Farm in Flemington, New Jersey, GREY delivers the raw urgency of a debut alongside the refined execution of seasoned players operating at their peak.
Across eleven tracks, the album balances crushing intensity with introspective, deeply personal songwriting. Robinson explained the album’s title and conceptual core: “Our emotions flow and often crash throughout the channels of our mind, body, and spirit. Sometimes, there is complete darkness and sometimes there is beauty and vibrance. This record acknowledges all frequencies while reluctantly existing in the space between.”
Eppard, who has turned down numerous projects over the years, found something special here. In a recent Rock Sound interview, he shared: “I’ve had opportunities over the years and been asked to play in things, and I never bit. It just never felt right. This felt right. And a big ingredient of that is that it’s something new. We’re carving out a place together, and nobody knows what it is, and there’s something really exciting about that.”
To coincide with the album release, Held. have dropped a visualizer for the track “WAVES OF FIRE.” It joins previously released videos for “NEW YOU ANTHEM” (featuring Frank Iero), “CONSTANT TENSION,” and “KNIFEPOINT” (featuring Graham Sayle of High Vis). Directed by Adam Thomson, the interconnected clips form a short film built around the mysterious pyramid from the band’s logo, adding a striking visual layer to the music.
GREY is available now across digital platforms and multiple physical formats.
Held. tour dates:
June 8 Jacksonville, FL The Albatross
June 9 Savannah, GA Victory North
June 10 Greenville, SC Radio Room
June 11 Greensboro, NC Hangar 1819
June 14 Richmond, VA The Canal Club
June 15 Asheville, NC Eulogy
June 18 Albany, NY Empire Live *
July 13 Gainesville, FL The Wooly
July 14 Pensacola FL Vinyl Music Hall
July 15 Baton Rouge, LA Chelsea’s Live
July 17 San Antonio, TX Paper Tiger
July 18 Corpus Christi, TX House of Rock
July 20 Lubbock, TX Jake’s Sports Café
July 22 El Paso, TX Lowbrow Palace
July 23 Tucson, AZ 191 Toole
July 27 Flagstaff, AZ Hotel Monte Vista
July 28 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
July 29 Roswell, NM The Liberty
July 31 Tulsa, OK Vanguard
August 1 Springfield, MO The Riff
August 2 Memphis, TN 1884 Lounge
October 4 Santa Ana, CA Neverender Festival
October 10 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest
All non-festival dates with Underoath except:
*-w/Thrice and Hey Mercedes
With GREY now available and a stacked touring schedule ahead, Held. are poised to make a major impact in 2026. Stream the album and catch them live while the momentum is still building.
