Glitterer (and former Title Fight) frontman Ned Russin decided that for the the band’s next album, they were going to go it alone by self-releasing their fourth full-length on his own label, Purple Circle Records, after releasing the first three on the much larger Epitaph imprint, ANTI-. The release date? November 21st. For those who are very online in their music coverage habits, that’s essentially one week ahead of list season for the larger whole of publications out there (though, not these pages,) which may as well throw your album straight into the void.

A proper publicist and A&R manager may have suggested to an artist on the scale of an established and moderately popular hardcore scene band like Glitterer to not do that, but front-facing shit apparently doesn’t matter to Russin alongside his recent four-piece formation of guitarist Colin Gorman, keyboardist Nicole Dao, and drummer Robin Zeijlon. The music they’re creating already has its foundation built where you know the day ones going as far back to those Kingston days already know and are going to show up regardless, and if there’s anyone out there who doesn’t, let it be known that this is post-hardcore of a thinking person’s substance built with stainless steel in what amounts to yet another steady level up.

That big introspective energy has always been the driving source connection between Russin’s brain with Glitterer’s electrical currents. Hearing his latest philosophical flair-ups billowing out from smoldering, grungy riffs as burnt neon synth-pop beams through them in even more violent hues than those articulated in sound, shout, and harrowing vigil on last year’s Rationale plays out like a deep talk catch-up with one of your most mindful of oldest friends — the kind of person who’s always been up for the challenge of self-correcting old habits, working through the nagging anxieties, and is in the healthiest headspace out of anyone you know. Like that friend, Glitterer just get better at figuring it out as the years go by. Like that friend, Glitterer probably is also very into Fugazi’s Instrument (see: “Victory Lap”.)

For Russin, the theme of pondering a lasting impression of the self in a disappearing world is the makings of 30-something-year-old existential dread. “Is the thing that I care for / Just my ego after all? / Because I’ve been standing by the fence / Just to find irrelevance,” he asks on its opening ripper “Somebody”. Well, we know the answer to that one at least: nobody in his position who cared about any of that would drop a great new album this late into the year.

Highlights: “Somebody”, “Not Forever”, “Victory Lap”

Glitterer’s erer is available now on Purple Circle Records.

Buy | Stream