Following a string of successful singles, high-profile shows alongside Wolfmother, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top and Deep Purple, and months of anticipation, The Howlers have finally unveiled their highly anticipated sophomore album, Heavy, released October 9 via FLG Records.
Where their debut album was shaped by grief and personal loss, Heavy finds the band exploring a different kind of emotional territory. Driven by the tension between desire and consequence, recklessness and reality, the record captures the intoxicating pull of the night and the sobering clarity that arrives when the adrenaline fades. It is an album concerned with the moments when impulse takes over, the consequences that follow, and the process of finding yourself again.
Frontman Adam Young explains the thinking behind the record: “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.”
Across its 12 tracks, Heavy sees The Howlers expand their distinctive sound while retaining the raw, instinctive energy that has helped establish their reputation. From the atmospheric synth-driven pulse of ‘Cold Sweat’ to the heavy-hitting, open-road anthem ‘D.R.I.V.E’, the album moves between cinematic textures and muscular rock, with focus track ‘Late Nights’ emerging as a particularly compelling statement of intent.
Built around a pulsating bassline, Young’s distinctive croon and cool, cinematic instrumentation, ‘Late Nights’ captures the seductive appeal of surrendering to the moment. Fleeting guitar flourishes cut through its nocturnal atmosphere, creating a track that feels simultaneously expansive and immediate. It is a soundtrack to the small hours, when good intentions can give way to bad decisions and the consequences of a fleeting thrill remain long after the night is over.
Young describes the track as a reflection on the damage that impulsiveness can inflict, particularly on those closest to us. “Like most of the album, Late Nights is about experiences that happen after dark, the seductive nature of impulsiveness that seems so alluring within the moment, so you grab it with both hands and forget about the consequences, regardless of the collateral damage that it may cause. We have all made bad decisions, but the track was written as a mirror to someone whose addictions hurt the ones they love.”
That willingness to confront uncomfortable truths runs throughout Heavy. Rather than romanticising the excesses and escapism that fuel its after-dark world, the album acknowledges the emotional fallout that can follow. Its songs inhabit the space between temptation and regret, balancing the immediate rush of reckless abandon with the harder work of understanding what remains when the excitement subsides.
Written and produced alongside long-time collaborator Chris Ostler of Black Honey, Heavy also marks a deliberate departure from conventional studio methods. Developed remotely, the album took shape through demos, shared ideas and evolving compositions exchanged across digital platforms. The process allowed The Howlers to strip arrangements back to their essentials while refining each track into its strongest form. Only during the final stages did the band move into rehearsal spaces to record live drums, introducing a raw, physical dimension that anchors the record’s more experimental elements.
The album also signals a significant shift in the band’s identity. Following a period of transition at the end of 2024, Young rebuilt The Howlers as a two-piece alongside drummer Toby Richards. The change prompted a reassessment of the group’s sound and creative direction, bringing a renewed sense of focus to a project that continues to evolve without losing sight of its foundations.
The transformation follows a breakthrough period for the band. Their self-funded debut album, What You’ve Got To Lose To Win It All, earned widespread acclaim across Europe, breaking into the UK Independent Breakers Chart Top 10 and securing multiple placements across independent, vinyl and physical sales charts. Support from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Radio X and Absolute Radio helped broaden their reach, alongside international radio backing and editorial playlisting across Apple Music and Spotify.
Onstage, that growing momentum translated into a sold-out 18-date UK headline tour, establishing The Howlers as a compelling live proposition. A subsequent European run saw the band sell out shows across eight countries, providing an opportunity to road-test the material that would eventually form Heavy. Those performances helped shape a record built to balance atmosphere and introspection with the kind of driving, full-bodied energy that has become central to the band’s appeal.
The Howlers will mark the album’s release with in-store appearances and performances beginning October 9, before heading out on a European album tour from October 30. The band will return to the UK for a further run of dates in March.
For a group that has built its following on emotional candour and an uncompromising approach to its craft, Heavyrepresents more than a second album. It is the sound of a band recalibrating, embracing a new creative identity and exploring the consequences of the very impulses that make life feel most immediate. By confronting the darker side of desire without losing the energy and urgency that define their sound, The Howlers deliver a record that feels like the culmination of everything that has come before, and a clear indication of where they intend to go next.
Heavy is out now via FLG Records.
