| VICTORY KID RELEASE NEW ALBUM CATALYST — A RAW, EXPANSIVE STATEMENT OF GROWTH, STRUGGLE, AND SELF-REALIZATIONStream Here |
 |
| LOS ANGELES, CA — After building momentum through a steady run of recent singles and relentless touring, Los Angeles punk outfit VICTORY KID return with Catalyst — their most ambitious and emotionally charged album to date — out today via SBÄM Records. Blending massive hooks, soaring melodies, and explosive energy with the weight of personal collapse and reinvention, the record captures a band pushing far beyond their roots while staying firmly grounded in the melodic punk spirit that first defined them.The songs released so far showcase a fast-moving, hook-heavy sound packed with urgency, catharsis, and the kind of high-impact intensity that has become a defining part of Victory Kid’s live show.Inspired by the anthemic energy of early 2000s pop punk, Catalyst pairs bright, driving guitars with some of the band’s most vulnerable songwriting to date.In 2020, frontman Harrison Nida found himself unraveling — battling depression while watching a decade-long relationship fall apart. At the same time, drummer and co-founder Carlo Ribaux had moved back to Zürich, leaving the band operating across continents and facing an uncertain future.So Nida did the only thing he could do: he wrote.What began as an outlet quickly became an obsession. Written during what Nida describes as his “reality at the bottom,” Catalyst emerged from a cycle of isolation and compulsive creation — days spent waking up and disappearing into the studio until exhaustion took over.“My days became waking up and plunging into the studio,” Nida recalls. “This album became the only thing pushing me forward.”From that flood of material, the band ultimately shaped 19 songs exploring mental health, political disillusionment, fractured relationships, and the difficult process of self-realization.Raised on the shores of West Los Angeles, Victory Kid built their identity through a deeply DIY approach — surfing in the morning, rehearsing in the afternoon, and playing anywhere they could at night. Their 2017 debut Discernation, produced by Allan Hessler (Story Of The Year, Avenged Sevenfold, Save Ferris) and featuring horn work from Matt Appleton (Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger), was later picked up by SBÄM Records in 2020, helping introduce the band to a wider international audience.The group soon brought their explosive live show overseas, touring Europe with Zebrahead, Mad Caddies, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes while sharing festival stages with Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, and Bowling For Soup.But Catalyst marks a defining leap forward.As the world reopened, the band reconvened with producer Michael Pepe (Taking Back Sunday, Silverstein, The Paradox) to fully realize the album’s scope. Additional contributions from Andrew Remley, Matt Appleton, and renowned arranger Stevie Blacke helped expand the record’s sonic range with layered guitars, horns, and cinematic string arrangements.Determined to fully capture Ribaux’s playing, drums were tracked at Capitol Studios’ legendary Studio B using the custom Masters of Maple kit designed specifically for the room.“I’ve never played a bigger drum kit in my life,” says Ribaux. “And that’s exactly how it sounded. It inspired me to simplify some of my parts and just let the sound of the drums speak.”Between sessions, Nida and Pepe also tracked acoustic material, including standout track “Will Be Gone.”“That room holds the spirit of everyone who’s recorded there,” Nida says. “It felt like being kissed by the walls.”Long known for weaving ska, reggae, and melodic textures into their punk foundation, Victory Kid lean fully into contrast on Catalyst — balancing explosive, singalong-ready anthems with moments of restraint and reflection. The result is a record that feels expansive without losing the immediacy and urgency at the core of the band’s sound.Producer Michael Pepe adds: “From rehearsing in a Southern California garage to tracking in the depths of Capitol Studios, the record slowly took on a life of its own.”At its core, Catalyst is about confronting the cycles that keep people stuck — whether internal struggles or external pressures — and finding the momentum to move forward.On Catalyst, Victory Kid transform burnout, uncertainty, and survival into something massive, melodic, and impossible to ignore.Catalyst arrives May 8 via SBÄM Records on digital and physical formats. Victory Kid will support the release with a European run this summer and fall, including appearances at major festivals. “You’re Alright” is out now on all streaming platforms. Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/2VGL06DgkdwWUal4fgxtcC?s… Follow Victory Kidwww.victorykidband.comwww.instagram.com/victorykidband www.facebook.com/victorykid www.youtube.com/victorykid |
 |