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Photo: Patrick Tracy

Alt-rock band Cartel continue their long-awaited return with the release of their latest single, "The End." The single is a sunny and hopeful track that takes a look at the end of days, without the special people in our lives, and aims to remind listeners to cherish those special connections, romantic, platonic, or otherwise.

"It's different for me since I didn't write the lyrics. But when I hear what Will is singing, it reminds me that there are people out there that impact your life in such a way to where you don't want to let them go. It could be romantic or someone who's just a great hang. If you make a connection with someone, don't ignore it - cherish it," shares the band.

While the band's previous single, "17," saw the band looking back on days gone by, "The End" sees them moving towards a brighter future. Guitarist Joseph Pepper shared that during the pandemic, he and lead singer Will were emailing ideas back and forth after Pugh shared a hard drive full of demos and unfinished songs. "He showed me 'The End,' and it immediately sparked ideas in me," says Pepper. "A few changes later, we had an awesome song for Cartel. Once we got it mixed, I couldn't wait for people to hear it. And now that it's officially released, I'm thrilled at the response from the public. Making music that people positively respond to makes everything worth it!"

"The End" has that classic, diverse Cartel sound that fans love but displays how with time and experience, each meme of the band has grown as musicians. Pugh's iconic vocals weave in and out of optimistic guitar riffs and driving percussion, making lyrics like "It's the end of my days without you / It's the end of my days alone" all the more impactful. "In the past, we would rely on our producer for sonic advice," shares Pepper. "Stylistically, it feels the same to me. Cartel has always had an eclectic style that people overlook. Our songs range from pop-punk to totally electronic, with no guitars and just a marching band, piano and orchestra, etc. I don't see that changing."

Although Cartel has not announced any future releases, Pepper says the complete creative freedom they feel has inspired the band tenfold and that fans should expect the unexpected. "I'll say one thing. Right now, we are totally free to write whatever we want, and that's what we're going to do. I'm interested in exploring new sonic territories and textures that move beyond pop-punk while still holding on to some of the things you'd expect from Cartel. So expect the unexpected, but also some more of the same."

Cartel is currently on the road performing on select dates of the 'Hello Gone Days Tour' with Dashboard Confessional and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. The band has also been added to the Emo's Not Dead Cruise, a four-day trip celebrating all things emo. Travelers will embark from Los Angeles on November 8 and can look forward to performances by Dashboard Confessional, Underoath, New Found Glory, Thursday, Plain White T's, and more.

Listen to "The End" below: