Last month, One Step Closer, the Wilkes-Barre Band To Watch, followed their great 2021 debut album This Place You Know with “Dark Blue,” a one-off single that leaned hard into the band’s melodic, emotive side. Today, “Dark Blue” serves as the opening track on Songs For The Willow, a new three-track EP that One Step Closer released without any advance notice.

One Step Closer were already one of the most melody-heavy bands on today’s hardcore circuit, and Songs For The Willow sounds like the work of a band that’s getting comfortable playing bigger rooms. The band still sounds strained and urgent, but every track on the new EP has a fists-up emo-singalong chorus. The band recorded Songs For The Willow with This Place You Know producer Eric Chesek and Drug Church/Koyo collaborator Jon Markson. It sounds big and bright and intense, and I really like it.

Along with the new EP, One Step Closer have also shared a grainy video for the new song “Turn To Me.” They’ve also got a whole lot of tour dates coming up, including a headlining trek with fellow hardcore-scene young lions Soul Blind and Life’s Question and, later, a run opening for Silverstein. In between those North American tours, One Step Closer are also heading over to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Below, you can stream the Songs For The Willow EP watch the “Turn To Me” video, and check out the upcoming tour dates.

TOUR DATES:
1/11 Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s ^
1/12 Detroit, MI @ Edgemen Printing ^
1/13 Chicago, IL @ Archer Ballroom ^
1/14 Cincinati, OH @ Legends ^
1/15 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade ^
1/17 Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819 ^
1/18 Richmond, VA @ Canal Club ^
1/19 Washington, DC @ DC9 ^
1/20 Brooklyn, NY @ St Vitus &
1/21 Boston, MA @ Hardcore Stadium ^
1/22 Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts &
2/01 Yokohama, Japan @ B.B Street
2/02 Osaka, Japan @ Hokage
2/03 Nagoya, Japan @ Club Zion
2/04 Shimokitazawa, Japan @ Era
2/05 Tokyo Shinjuku, Japan @ Antiknock
2/08 Manila, Philippines @ Mow’s
2/09 Bangkok, Thailand @ TBA
2/10 Jakarta, Indonesia @ Undisclosed
2/11 Solo, Indonesia @ Undisclosed
2/12 Surabaya, Indonesia @ Undisclosed
2/15 Kuala Lampur, Malaysia @ Angkasa Space
2/16 Johor Bahru, Malaysia @ Rockin Jamz Hall
2/17 Singapore @ Room 0416
2/19 Perth, Australia @ Lucy’s Love Shack
2/22 Brisbane, Australia @ Black Bear Lodge
2/23 Gold Coast, Australia @ Mo’s Desert Clubhouse
2/24 Sydney, Australia @ House of Music & Booze
2/25 Newcastle, Australia @ Newcastle Hotel
2/26 Melbourne, Australia @ Bendigo Hotel
3/30 Ottawa, ON @ Bronson #
3/31 Quebec City QC @ Imperial Bell #
0/01 Hartford, CT @ Webster #
4/02 Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater #
4/04 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr Smalls #
4/05 Wilmington, DE @ The Queen #
4/07 Norfolk, VA @ The Norva #
4/08 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues #
4/09 Raleigh, NC @ Ritz #
4/11 Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl #
4/12 New Orleans, LA @ Joy Theater #
4/14 Austin, TX @ Mohawk #
4/15 Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom #
4/16 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater #
4/18 Tucson, AZ @ Rialto #
4/19 Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl #
4/21 Riverside, CA @ RMA #
4/22 San Diego, CA @ Observatory #
4/23 San Francisco, CA @ The Regency #
4/25 Tacoma, WA @ ALMA #
4/26 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore #
4/28 Edmonton, AB @ Midway #
4/29 Calgary, AB @ Palace Theatre #
4/30 Saskatoon, SK @ Coors Event Centre #
5/02 Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre #
5/04 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave #
5/05 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts #
5/06 Cleveland, OH @ Agora #
5/07 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection #

^ with Soul Blind & Life’s Question
& with Life’s Question
# with Silverstein, dayseeker, & SeeYouSpaceCowboy

The Song For The Willow EP is out now on Run For Cover.