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Ben Quad has released the latest glimpse into their upcoming second album with their raw new single "Painless." The Oklahoma post-emo band explores the complexities of grief and its accompanying guilt after losing a close friend on the new track. The easily recognizable 2000s pop-punk and emo influences mixed with Ben Quad's signature midwestern spirit make "Painless" feel equally cathartic and authentic.

The single is a vulnerably compelling effort that captures the helplessness of watching someone you love show signs of depression and being unable to get through to them. Supported by powerhouse percussion and standout performance from the guitarists Sam Wegrzynski and Edgar Viveros, the band struggles with the reality of the loss, showcasing this inner turmoil through lines like "I can't take back that wasted time/ Just know you never wasted mine" and "I'll live a life worth everything/ I'll do this for you." The single changes gears from expressive, twinkly guitar riffs, utilising hammer-ons and pull-offs to highlight their style and writing patterns, and solidify their sound, before tearing into a culmination of alternate-tuning chord patterns that drive home the ever-present sense of existential dread that accompanies every single one of their songs.

"We knew early on in the demoing process that we wanted the vocals to pull from 2000's emo. The chorus is a big nod to bands such as Taking Back Sunday and features Sam and Henry trading off lines in the classic emo co-vocalist style. For the outro, we wanted to bring back the post-hardcore/screamo heaviness that we showcased on our previous release, 'Ephemera'. 'Painless' not only has the pop-sensibility that we're introducing with the new record, but also the shreddy, midwest emo guitar lines we've come to be known for and the raw, aggressive sound we displayed on our last EP."

It's going to be an exciting time for the band in the coming months as they gear up for a US tour supporting labelmates KOYO. Dates began on October 23 at Velvet Underground in Toronto, ON, and will wrap up on November 23 at Racket in NYC. The band will then head to the UK/EU supporting Arm's Length.

Be sure to check out Ben Quad's latest single, "Painless," today!