In 2019, Orange County, California Punk and Hardcore institution, IGNITE were a band at a crossroads. Over 25 years, IGNITE had taken their hardcore foundations and not merely turned them into the sound of a band that has refused to be categorized but had become a worldwide force in their own right. With five albums behind them including 2006’s breakout, Our Darkest Days and 2016’s A War Against You (which entered the German album charts at #6) as well as countless tours through Europe, North America, Australia, South America and the Far East, the core of the band: bassist Brett Rasmussen, guitarists Nik Hill and Kevin Kilkenny and drummer Craig Anderson found themselves in search of a new voice. They found themselves without a singer.

“There was never any question about whether we would continue,” says Brett. “It was more a question of where do we go next. How does IGNITE continue to grow as a band?” Against a backdrop of a Covid-shuttered world and a nation embroiled in the fire of riots, apocryphal politics and cultural sea changes, the four members of IGNITE not merely looked for a new vocalist but also penned their most expansive set of songs to date. “We went back to our earliest days and pulled from our hardcore influences,” says Brett. “We also looked beyond where we left off on the last record and really worked to push ourselves musically, lyrically. We were inspired.”

Cut to almost two years later. IGNITE’s self-titled album is the moment where they reconcile themselves with their history. “It never felt like a struggle or an effort,” says guitarist Kevin Kilkenny “It felt like the five of us pulling in the same direction.” The album not only encapsulates their determination to redefine themselves but also stands as one of the strongest efforts to date. That sense of inspiration and abandon literally explodes from the speakers on opening track, “Anti-Complicity-Anthem”. It’s IGNITE firing on all cylinders. Melodic, political, poignant and most importantly - driven. “That track is a mantra for me,” says Nik. “It’s about having a voice in the face of the trials and tribulations we all face working through the shame, the indignity and the loss of life that have become part of our experience as individuals and as a country.” At the center of it all is the new vocalist Eli Santana, an unexpected choice for the band, but a perfect example of IGNITE’s willingness to step beyond expectations.