London alt-rockers The Howlers have announced their second album Heavy, due for release on October 9th, alongside the arrival of their explosive new single Viper. Returning after 2025 singles Nightcrawling and You Can Be So Cruel, the band continue their sharp upward trajectory with a track that feels tense and broody, yet still immediate and evocative.
Built around a pulsing riff, pounding drums and a restless energy that never lets up, Viper captures The Howlers at their most raw and instinctive, offering the clearest indication yet of what to expect from Heavy. Fuzzy guitar licks, tight punchy drums and subtle synths create a soundscape comparable to Queens Of The Stone Age under the haunting, yet effortlessly catchy lead vocals. A record shaped by desire, recklessness and the fallout that follows, the album sees frontman Adam Young push his songwriting into darker territory here, balancing swagger with emotional collapse in a way that feels both cinematic yet rooted honest gritty songwriting.
“Viper speaks to an experience of being totally drawn towards someone even though you can see the red flags – the desire for all of us to willingly make bad decisions for the thrill of what comes next, regardless of consequences.” says Young “You’re lost in the moment together. But no matter how much you kid yourself into believing the Bonnie & Clyde fantasy, they will always cause you pain in the end.”
The upcoming album marks another major step in a transformative period for the band. Following a transitional end to 2024, Young rebuilt The Howlers as a two piece alongside drummer Toby Richards, a move that reshaped both their sound and creative identity.
That reinvention follows a breakthrough run for the group. Their self funded debut album What You’ve Got To Lose To Win It All broke into the UK Independent Breakers Chart Top 10 and earned support from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Radio X and Absolute Radio, while extensive touring across the UK and Europe cemented their reputation as a formidable live act.
Written and produced with long time collaborator Chris Ostler of Black Honey, Heavy was developed remotely through shared demos and reworked compositions before being brought into rehearsal rooms to capture its live intensity.
Young describes the album as a reflection of impulsiveness, addiction to chaos and the difficult clarity that follows once the night fades.
“This album is those late night experiences, the after dark conversations, late night phone calls, the seductive nature of impulsiveness that seems so alluring and losing yourself in the addictive nature of recklessness, but it’s also the mirror in the morning, the wake up call, and the harsh reality of knowing those feelings won’t always last. It’s the moment you find yourself again.”
‘Viper’ is available now on all streaming platforms, with Heavy following on Oct 9th.
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