Last year, the young melodic hardcore greats One Step Closer became a Stereogum Band To Watch and released their absolutely kickass debut album This Place You Know. Since then, the Wilkes-Barre band has been touring like crazy, hitting every big hardcore festival and sharing bills with bands like Drug Church. In the months ahead, One Step Closer will head over to Asia and Australia. Today, they’ve dropped a new standalone single, their first since their album arrived. It’s a beast.

One Step Closer’s new song “Dark Blue” is probably the most accessible thing they’ve done yet. It’s stormy and screamy and passionate, but it’s driven by huge hooks. This is the first time that I can remember hearing One Step Closer veering closer to emo than hardcore, and the song should sound amazing in big venues, even if it’s about the anxiety that comes from spending your life playing big venues. Here’s what frontman Ryan Savitski has to say about the song:

Earlier this year while driving through the Pacific Northwwest, I was struggling with how much we were about to be touring this year. As much as I was excited, I was just as much scared of how the dynamic of my life at home would change. I almost felt like people would forget about me for some reason, or relationships would change while being away. Through these thoughts, I found comfort in looking out the window of the van and seeing things I never thought I’d ever see, while simultaneously turning my head to see some of best friends who I get to experience this life with. It made me feel conflicted. Potentially lose the people you love at home, to do the thing you love just as much. This song represents those conflicting moments in time.

Listen to “Dark Blue” below.

“Dark Blue” is out now on Run For Cover.