We Speak Rock

Day Joy Share “Closed Caption for the Horror,” Title Track From Their Coming Third Album

Published

2 days ago

November 13, 2026

Day Joy frontman Michael Serrin in a stylized press photo, seated on a red devil head stool against a plain backdrop.

Austin indie rock veterans Day Joy return with “Closed Caption for the Horror,” the title track from their coming third concept album, an acoustic-driven single about the apology that never came and the cycle it leaves behind, out today, November 13, 2026.

Praise for Day Joy

“known for their atmospheric sound and emotionally charged lyrics” -Galore

“Austin-based band Day Joy show their knack for powerful songwriting with “JFC,” conjuring an aesthetic that reminds fondly of Father John Misty in its expansive rock/folk intertwining.” – Obscure Sound

I wanted to make sure you know that Austin-based indie rock vets, Day Joy, are returning with a new single “Closed Caption for the Horror.” Featuring an entirely acoustic guitar arrangement, drums by Noah Gordon, engineering by Austin Barker and mixing by Andy LeMaster (Bright Eyes, Phoebe Bridgers, Jason Isbell), the track follows 2025’s critically acclaimed single, “JFC.”

At its heart, “Closed Caption for the Horror” is about the apology you waited for but never received, and the unsettling realization that you’ve failed to offer that same apology yourself. The song traces the cycle of generational trauma, substance abuse and destructive behaviors passed between the people we love, as the wounds inflicted by one person become the very behaviors we inflict on someone else. Through the horror imagery of vampires, vultures and drinking potions, frontman Michael Serrin explores the contagious nature of addiction and the ways we perpetuate the suffering we once hoped to escape.

“I wanted to explore what happens when you go from being the one who’s scared and running away to being the one doing the chasing,” Serrin explains.

As the song unfolds, its protagonist recognizes that the vices once used to numb the pain no longer offer relief. The repeated realization that the “potion doesn’t work” becomes a turning point: an acknowledgment that the cycle cannot continue unchanged. The song ultimately imagines the death of a former self as a necessary step toward breaking that cycle, exploring the difficult process of confronting the harm we carry and the harm we pass on.

“Closed Caption for the Horror” is out November 13, 2026.

Day Joy Bio

DAY JOY began as a bedroom project, crafting melancholic ballads with lo-fi recordings that blended ethereal ambience with bursts of distortion and raw emotion. These early tracks, recorded on laptops and iPhones, captured the feeling of a beautiful dream slipping into a subtle nightmare. The critical acclaim garnered from these initial recordings led to a signing with Small Plates Records and the release of their debut LP, Go to Sleep, Mess.

After assembling a live band, Day Joy toured nationally, earning praise from Paste, Consequence of Sound, Brooklyn Vegan, Rolling Stone, and others. However, the band’s upward momentum was tragically interrupted by the sudden death of frontman Michael Serrin’s younger brother.

Following a five-year hiatus, Day Joy returned in 2020 with Great Satan, Mass Appeal, a haunting LP that fused antique piano recordings, lo-fi ballads, and confessional folk songs. The album earned the band a broader audience than ever before despite the challenges of releasing it during the pandemic, which prevented touring. During this time, they began collaborating with Austin Barker, Dave Hanson, and Andy LeMaster on new music.

Currently based in Austin, TX, Day Joy’s live lineup consists of a four-to-six-piece band. Their atmospheric performances are marked by massive harmonies, vintage synths, catchy vocal melodies, and funky bass and drum rhythms.

Day Joy is preparing for the release of their third concept album, Closed Caption for the Horror, set to release later this fall. The album draws parallels between modern American life and horror films. Working with producer Andy LeMaster (Bright Eyes, Phoebe Bridgers, R.E.M.), the band has elevated the project’s sound to new heights, creating an eerie yet beautiful atmosphere that is both unsettling and captivating. The first two singles, Apparition Last Night Hysteria and jfc, have already been featured in multiple publications. The next single and title track for the LP, Closed Caption for the Horror, is scheduled for release on November 13, 2026. The full LP will be released later this fall.

EMPATH, Built From Volbeat, Rising And Anti-Ritual Members, Drop Their Self-Titled Debut Album

Published

17 hours ago

November 14, 2026

We Speak Media

EMPATH's four members in a black and white portrait against a dark background

Copenhagen has a new heavy rock band with serious pedigree. EMPATH, formed by members of Volbeat, Rising and Anti-Ritual, have released their self-titled debut album today, November 13th, on Indisciplinarian — a dark and dreamy take on heavy rock built on atmosphere, melody and crushing dynamics.

EMPATH is the sound of a new, dark and dreamy heavy rock band from Copenhagen, Denmark — one that revolves around atmosphere, presence and empathy. The constellation may be new, but the four members carry solid experience from bands such as Volbeat, Rising and Anti-Ritual.

In a digital and efficiency-driven age, where humanity is increasingly giving way to mechanical coldness, EMPATH — as the name suggests — is about presence, empathy and humanity. This ethos runs like a common thread through the band’s self-titled debut album, released today, November 13th, 2026, on LP, CD, cassette and digital formats via Indisciplinarian.

Across nine songs, EMPATH blends elements of progressive metal, doom, sludge and post-rock into a sound that is as dreamy and melodic as it is heavy and riff-driven. The music was recorded live with producer Lasse Ballade (Halshug, Slægt, Eyes) at Ballade Studios in Copenhagen, with vocals tracked at Grapehouse Studios by Morten Grønnegaard. Ballade also handled mix and mastering, while the artwork was created by illustrator Jon Gotlev (Nohr).

The album was first introduced by the single “Waves,” followed by “Vessel,” both pointing toward the band’s balance of melodic clarity and dense, riff-driven weight. EMPATH plays its debut show on December 11th at Hotel Cecil in Copenhagen.

EMPATH Track Listing

1. In Absence
2. Waves
3. Vessel
4. In Formation
5. In Bloom
6. In Thought
7. In Dissent
8. In Memory
9. In Return

Before forming EMPATH, guitarist/vocalist Morten Grønnegaard played with Volbeat on the albums Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies and Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie. Bassist Christian Qvortrup played in the epic doom metal band Rising, while drummer Jakob Krogholt toured and recorded with Anti-Ritual.