Two New Singles Defining Different Sides of 2023 Music Trends
On opposite ends of the rock spectrum, NORTHLANE’s new single “Evian” and Violet Grohl’s music release “Cool Buzz” highlight how 2023 music trends continue to blur genre boundaries while sharpening lyrical intent. “Evian” arrives as another chapter in NORTHLANE’s evolution, extending the band’s influential fusion of metal and electronic elements into a track that pulses between euphoric trance and earth-splitting breakdowns. Meanwhile, “Cool Buzz” previews Grohl’s debut full-length Be Sweet To Me, leaning into the raw, melodic edge of 80s and 90s alternative rock. Together, these singles underscore how artists are using familiar sonic palettes—whether metalcore hybrid or alt-rock nostalgia—to deliver more personal and pointed messages. They are not just standalone tracks, but signals of where each artist is heading next: NORTHLANE deepening an already singular sound, and Grohl carving out a distinct, feminist-leaning voice in modern rock.
NORTHLANE’s “Evian”: Trauma, Healing, and a Shapeshifting Heavy Sound
NORTHLANE’s new single “Evian” pushes further into the band’s hallmark blend of crushing heaviness and electronic euphoria. The track “shapeshifts through a duality of euphoric trance and seismic breakdowns,” expanding and contracting around Marcus Bridge’s affecting vocal performance. Lyrically, it confronts trauma head-on. Bridge explains that “Evian” is about choosing self-improvement, “confronting trauma then finding your way back to someone from a healthier place,” and opting to grow alone rather than dragging loved ones into unresolved struggles. This emotional core gives the song a reflective, almost meditative weight beneath its technical firepower. Coming off the Mirror’s Edge EP—described by guitarist Jon Deiley as a kind of “greatest hits of NORTHLANE sounds”—and following the turbulence that nearly fractured the band, “Evian” feels like a statement of renewed focus. It reaffirms NORTHLANE’s place at the forefront of heavy music while hinting at deeper, more introspective chapters ahead.
From “Mirror’s Edge” to Global Tours: The Career Impact of “Evian”
“Evian” lands at a pivotal time for NORTHLANE, more than a decade into a career marked by ARIA No. 1 albums, awards, and over 500 million streams. After the tense period that followed their album Obsidian, the band regrouped during a writing retreat in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, unlocking the creative spark that fueled the Mirror’s Edge EP. That release revisited their full sonic spectrum with contributions from key influences Winston McCall and Ian Kenny, as well as former bassist Brendon Padjasek. “Evian” now feels like a bridge from that reflective, career-spanning moment into a new phase. Its independent release coincides with an intense international touring schedule, including a North American run with Dayseeker, a packed European festival summer featuring Bloodstock and Summer Breeze, and a return home to join the Hellbound cruise. The single positions NORTHLANE not as legacy act, but as a continually innovating force in heavy music.
Violet Grohl’s “Cool Buzz”: Alt-Rock Grit with a Feminist Bite
Violet Grohl’s new single “Cool Buzz” arrives as the fourth preview from her upcoming debut album Be Sweet To Me, due May 29 via Auroura Records / Republic Records. Stylistically, it taps directly into the 80s and 90s alternative rock that shaped her tastes: she cites Pixies, Soundgarden, Cocteau Twins, The Breeders, PJ Harvey, The Muffs, Björk, Alice in Chains, L7, and Juliana Hatfield as lifelong influences. That lineage comes through in the track’s raw, guitar-driven feel and unvarnished energy. Lyrically, “Cool Buzz” is sharp and satirical, “poking fun at moral inconsistencies in punk guys who preach progressive politics, but then in their own musical spaces won’t let women have a chance.” Grohl uses the familiar aesthetics of classic alt-rock to call out hypocrisy in punk and indie scenes, reclaiming a space where women’s participation is often gatekept despite supposedly progressive ideals.
Setting the Stage: Tours, Debut Albums, and Future Directions
“Cool Buzz” is more than a standalone Violet Grohl music release; it’s a key building block in the rollout of Be Sweet To Me and her live identity. Alongside the single, Grohl has announced her first-ever headline tour, beginning June 4 at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn and moving through Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and additional dates in Baltimore and New York, with select shows supporting The Breeders. Summer festival slots at Pukkelpop, Leeds Festival, Electric Picnic, Reading Festival, Shaky Knees, and Brooklyn’s CBGB Festival will expose her alt-rock vision to wider audiences. For NORTHLANE, “Evian” similarly operates as a forward-looking marker, aligned with relentless global touring and the creative reset achieved during the Mirror’s Edge era. Together, these releases illustrate how emerging and established artists alike are leveraging pointed, thematic singles to define their next chapters in a crowded, genre-fluid rock landscape.