Pennsylvania post-hardcore outfit One Step Closer have announced their new album, Zero, set for release on 19 February 2027 via Run For Cover Records. To mark the announcement, the Wilkes-Barre band have unveiled two new singles, Blue Hour and Was It Ever Enough?, accompanied by music videos directed by the band themselves.
One Step Closer
Following 2024’s All You Embrace, the forthcoming record sees One Step Closer continue to expand their sound, combining the emotional intensity and urgency of hardcore with increasingly ambitious songwriting and a greater emphasis on melody. Recorded with longtime collaborator Jon Markson, whose production credits include Drug Church, The Story So Far, Drain and Koyo, Zero promises to be the band’s most anthemic and emotionally exposed release to date.
At the heart of One Step Closer has always been the ability to transform difficult experiences into music that offers both release and connection. Their live performances are renowned for their unrestrained energy, with the band pouring everything into every set while the chaos around them becomes part of the experience. That same spirit runs through Zero, a record that confronts uncertainty, sadness and the pressures of modern life while searching for moments of catharsis.
One Step Closer @ O2 Academy, Birmingham
The two new singles reveal contrasting sides of the album. Blue Hour begins in the fading light of dusk, building from an ominous guitar motif and restrained percussion into a powerful, explosive climax. The track marks a notable development in the band’s sound, with vocalist Ryan Savitski placing greater emphasis on his singing voice without losing the emotional force of his delivery.
Its accompanying video captures the band performing on a homemade skate ramp, surrounded by friends and a chaotic DIY atmosphere. Fireworks and improvised pyrotechnics contribute to the reckless energy, balancing the song’s darker emotional undercurrent with the unfiltered enthusiasm that has become central to the One Step Closer identity.
By contrast, Was It Ever Enough? arrives with jagged guitar riffs and circle-pit momentum before opening into a groove-driven, singalong outro. Set against the morning light in Wilkes-Barre, its video provides a daylight counterpart to the nocturnal imagery of Blue Hour, featuring spray-painting, stagediving and the sense of exhausted exhilaration that runs through the band’s music.
Both videos were directed by One Step Closer, giving the two releases a connected visual identity while highlighting the contrasting moods of the songs.
Speaking about the emotional landscape of Zero, Savitski says: “This may have been the hardest year for us, and that’s reflected in the songs. There’s so much desperation on this record but I think people can relate to that–these songs will always mean something different to me than everyone else, no one is living the same exact experiences, but I want people to take these songs and mold them to fit their own.”
That desire to leave room for listeners to find their own meaning is central to the album. While the songs emerge from the band members’ individual experiences, Zero explores feelings that extend beyond any one person’s circumstances, including anxiety, hopelessness and the struggle to find stability in an increasingly uncertain world.
The album also draws inspiration from what Savitski and guitarist Ross Thompson describe as “older brother music” — the formative sounds and experiences associated with growing up around older generations of alternative and punk culture. Their reference points include burned CDs filled with songs discovered on Myspace, music-video programmes, printed directions to small venue shows and the rebellious excitement of sneaking into Warped Tour in 2005.
That nostalgia is not simply an exercise in looking backwards. Instead, One Step Closer use those memories to explore how music can provide a sense of belonging during difficult times. Just as earlier generations found expression against a backdrop of global uncertainty, the band are attempting to create their own version of catharsis in the present.
“I think there’s just a general sense of doom that I’m left feeling every time I turn on the TV or look on social media,” Savitski says, “and this record reflects the impact that has on my own mental state.”
Since emerging from Wilkes-Barre around a decade ago, One Step Closer have steadily developed their own place within the contemporary hardcore scene. Their 2019 EP From Me To You helped establish their reputation, followed by the debut album This Place You Know, which combined melancholic songwriting with the physical intensity of hardcore. Their 2024 release All You Embrace pushed further into melody, broadening the scope of their sound while retaining the rawness that first drew listeners to the band.
With Zero, that evolution continues. The album balances visceral energy with vulnerability, giving Savitski’s melodic vocals a more prominent role alongside his harsher delivery. Guest contributions also add further depth, with About a Boy featuring vocals from Pat Flynn of Fiddlehead and Have Heart, while A Fleeting Face includes a contribution from Isaac Hale of Knocked Loose.
Across its ten tracks, Zero captures a band intent on pushing beyond familiar boundaries without losing sight of the emotional honesty that defines its music. It is a record shaped by difficult experiences, but one that ultimately seeks to turn those experiences into something shared.
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