A NEW SINGLE AND INTERVIEW WITH AITA
The new single from AITA is finally here, and believe me when I tell you, this track holds little back in the way of letting loose lyrically, being upfront, honest, and pretty blunt, and also delivering a massive, full-bodied and lush pop-punk soundscape that also beckons alternative rock with that sort of rambunctious and edgy overtone.
"Know Hard Feelings" comes right in with some classic guitar slides that roll right into its main riff, which does have that heaviness in its undertone but also comes through in a colorful manner. This, of course, is because it's pop-punk. This band knows exactly how to deliver a hook with a guitar like nobody's business, and this track is a perfect example of exactly that.
As this intro comes in, you have these drums that have this cool sort of phaser effect on them, and even with that, you can hear this intense energy coming from that drummer.
The drumming on this track is almost everything to me. It gives the song a massive energy, and it feels like everyone else in the band sort of pushes off of that, in a sense.
The drumming definitely adds a lot of heaviness to this track. He throws in some double kick rolls between certain riffs and just gives off a fiery performance.
Now, having said that, everyone else in the band follows suit perfectly. The guitar work is poppy and fun, blending that heavier undertone, as I mentioned earlier, but the performance of how they are played is also equally intense. Everyone in the band gives their all on this track.
The bass guitar tone has an awesome feel to it. It's got a sort of classic pop-punk feel in terms of its tone and has a good, fat low end to it.
When the first verse comes in, the guitars sort of settle down in a way. They have this cool delay sort of effect on them; they have more of an alternative rock feel during those sections, especially, and this is where the vocals start kicking in.
The vocalist is unreal. She not only delivers this crazy soul in her performance, but she also has a certain attitude that fits perfectly with the music.
She tells her story from a personal perspective, and doesn't really hold back in the way of letting it out. She lets all of her inner thoughts come spilling out for everyone to sort of soak in, and I find that brilliant.
When she wants to get into it and really belt out, during the choruses, especially, she really pushes it.
She hits incredible notes and does it all with character. She's got passion, and that really shines during those choruses.
The track seems to be about getting screwed over, for lack of a better term.
It does go through these kinds of different thoughts and emotions that come along with being wronged by someone that was close to you and I think it's relatable for a lot of people because of that.
It's about seeing through someone's lies and calling them out on them.
A story that feels almost universal.
I love a song that can be sort of blistering with energy and rock overtone and still be brutally honest. It's such an amazing combination.
The song goes through some outstanding breakdowns and sections that are sort of surprising, including a vast section where the drums are just doing amazing things, the guitars are sort of clean, but there's this reverb and things feel distanced, all during which it seems like there's a voicemail from that person being played.
I could be wrong about the voicemail part, it could just be a vocalist or instrumentalist from the band saying things into a microphone, but it feels like that's the essence of that section. I think it's supposed to be like a voicemail from that person that she has been wronged by.
This builds up into its final and most massive chorus.
This is a fiery track. As I mentioned before, the energy is completely unreal, and I think that's a big factor in why it comes through so impactfully.
It hits hard, but it's got loads of that character, and this is a big part of what you hold on to.
You can't beat that live performance aesthetic and how much the song is sonically driving, either.
This is an amazing example of a band that knows how to bring together a slew of influences to create something that they're all really passionate about.
All I need to do is hear this one song to know for sure that every member of this band has a love for their craft. I don't just mean playing their instruments or singing, I mean writing songs together
Upon listening to this one, I knew I had to have a chat with the band to find out where this actually came from and what might be coming next for them.
So, while you listen to this track, have a read-through of our interview with AITA below.
Remember where you heard this first.
Let's talk about "Know Hard Feelings"! This was an attitude-riddled pop-punk approach with some thrashing and huge choruses!! Where did this song come from?
This song came from the depths of feeling wronged over and over by the people you think you can trust. It is as broad as it is direct, from our past to our present
I'm hearing a few different approaches to this track! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
The awesome thing about this band is we have a wide variety of influences from Blink to Paramore to Hot Mulligan and Taking Back Sunday. We love music of all kinds and love to breakdown songs and figure out how we can elevate our skills and storytelling.
Did you record this at a home setup, or at a big studio?
This was recorded by the great Eric Taft at his studio. His talent and production mastery is second to none.
Do you guys write songs together, or are there a few main songwriters that bring ideas back to the rest?
It really is a mixed bag and vary’s from song to song. Sometimes someone sends over just a riff, other times someone has a whole song they are working on and need the final touches, and sometimes we’re all on a room and magic just starts spewing out.
How did this all start for you as a band?
This all started about 2 years ago. Patri and Josh were mutual friends previously and one day, kind of jokingly but mostly serious, Patri saw on of Josh’s drums videos and asked “should we start a band?”. That’s when the concept took life. And then we’re lucky enough to be joined by Eli and Justin to shortly after, which has changed our lives.
Are you performing live right now?
We are playing shows all over in 2026. A few local shows in MD, a southbound small tour to Flordia. We plan to hit it with our friends up North as well. It will be a busy year for playing shows for sure.
Who's in all your headphones right now?
Patri - Hayley Williams- Glum
- Justin - Nightmarathons - Hidden Vigorish
- Josh - Blink-182 - Aliens Exist
- Eli - Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing - Set it Off
What would you tell people they can expect on this release?
A slap in the face
Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music?
We are fans as well. We love to fall in love with new bands, as well as hold on strong to the nostalgia of our old favorites. There is nothing like seeing that one live show that sticks with you. We hope to be able to give that to someone out there.
