WINDWAKER RELEASE NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO
Hailing from Australia, the boundary-pushing quintet WINDWAKER - comprised of lead vocalist Liam Guinane, guitarist Justin Keurntjes, bassist Indey Salvestro, drummer Chris Lalic, and synths and samples specialist Connor Robins - are set to unleash their third full-length album, smile, you're on camera, on October 23rd via Fearless Records.
The track ‘DNA’ delves into the deep-seated internal battle between one's self-perception and true sincerity within a world increasingly dominated by social media, framing an existential crisis that deeply resonates with modern audiences. Wrapped cleanly in an alternative rock shell, the track comes laced with intricate synths and hip-hop-influenced verses, while ensuring it never holds back on heavy, hard-hitting riffage or piercing, bloodcurdling screams. The Australian outfit continues its steadfast commitment to tearing up traditional genre parameters and completely ignoring sonic limitations, resulting in a sound that remains as distinct as actual deoxyribonucleic acid.
"'DNA' explores a deeply internal struggle with identity, self-worth, and the feeling of being trapped by one's own nature," the band offers. "The song reflects on emotional instability and the pressure of living up to expectations, while battling impulses, ego, and the fear of never truly changing. There's a recurring tension between wanting growth and feeling stuck in destructive patterns, as if these flaws are hardwired into their 'DNA.' Another key theme here which is explored over the album is authenticity. References to 'doing it for the likes' and people 'switching sides' highlights disillusionment with superficial validation and fake personas, while the protagonist in this song tries to strip away ego and confront their true self."
Viewed as a complete work, smile, you're on camera meditates heavily on the heavy burden of time, personal growth, daily struggles, and the sacrifices required to achieve a better, more authentic life despite living alongside superficial figures, sinister personalities, and bad actors. The record comes together as an energetic, remarkably catchy, and heartfelt body of work. Rather than following a straight linear storyline, the album takes a deeply introspective approach by offering a sequence of vivid personal snapshots and reflections that capture every emotional high and low of this era. It stands as both a triumphant celebration of how far the group has progressed and an unvarnished examination of the intense pressure of constant exposure, leaving listeners with a grounded sense of resolution paired with continuous evolution.
At its core, Windwaker's sound operates like a volatile chemical reaction between vastly different musical styles. The band acts as the unifying thread across a constantly shifting wheel of genres, effortlessly merging stadium-scale hooks, swaggering rhythm sections, biting guitars, and strikingly versatile vocal displays into a single, unpredictable experience. Constantly pushing boundaries, the group has carved out a unique space for themselves as true outliers. They previously executed a massive sonic leap forward between 2022's Love Language and 2024's HYPERVIOLENCE, the latter yielding the hit track "SIRENS," which has amassed over 9 million Spotify streams. Praising the standout track "Fractured State of Mind," OnesToWatch raved, “Simultaneously brutal and beautiful, the ferocious new track explores the aftershocks of lost love and is sure to be an instant hit for those in need of a therapeutic rage session." In a glowing 10/10 review, Distorted Sound predicted, "HYPERVIOLENCE has the energy of a band about to make it big.” Furthermore, Melodic Magazinecelebrated "their genre-warping take on modern metalcore." Beyond their studio achievements, the band has steadily built an impressive live presence by sharing stages with heavy hitters including Motionless In White, I Prevail, Beartooth, and Caskets.
WINDWAKER ON TOUR:
WITH BEARTOOTH + DON BROCO
11th November 2026 — Boston, MA — MGM Music Hall at Fenway
12th November 2026 — New York, NY — Hammerstein Ballroom
13th November 2026 — Philadelphia, PA — Franklin Music Hall
15th November 2026 — National Harbor, MD — The Theater at MGM National Harbor
18th November 2026 — Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE
20th November 2026 — Chicago, IL — Aragon Ballroom
21st November 2026 — St. Paul, MN — Myth
22nd November 2026 — Omaha, NE — Steelhouse Omaha
28th November 2026 — Nashville, TN — The Truth
29th November 2026 — Atlanta, GA — Coca-Cola Roxy
1st December 2026 — Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore
2nd December 2026 — Charleston, SC — The Refinery
4th December 2026 — St. Augustine, FL — St. Augustine Amphitheatre
5th December 2026 — Fort Lauderdale, FL — War Memorial Auditorium
7th December 2026 — New Orleans, LA — The Fillmore
9th December 2026 — Austin, TX — ACL Live — Moody Theater
10th December 2026 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom
12th December 2026 — Denver, CO — The Fillmore
13th December 2026 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Union
15th December 2026 — Albuquerque, NM — Revel Entertainment Center
16th December 2026 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Financial Theatre
18th December 2026 — Los Angeles, CA — Hollywood Palladium
19th December 2026 — Wheatland, CA — Hard Rock Live
WINDWAKER SUPPORTING BURY TOMORROW
WITH STICK TO YOUR GUNS
& ELWOOD STRAY
18th February 2027 – Glasgow @ SWG3 Galvanisers
19th February 2027 – Nottingham @ Rock City
20th February 2027– London @ O2 Academy Brixton
