If you’ve ever wondered what it sounds like when a band throws genre rules out the window and decides to just go for it, Angel Du$t pretty much exist to answer that question. And their new single “DU$T” might be the clearest reminder yet that Justice Tripp and co are running entirely on instinct, adrenaline, and whatever form of rock & roll electricity they’ve got running in their veins.
“DU$T” arrives ahead of the band’s new album Cold 2 The Touch, landing February 13th via Run For Cover Records, and honestly, this track feels like the moment you realise the coaster you’re strapped into doesn’t slow down at any point. It opens with this almost tender acoustic strum and a longing vocal from Tripp—like he’s luring you into thinking Angel Du$t are taking it easy for a moment—then the whole thing barrels straight into blast beats, blown-out guitars, and a breakdown that feels like someone shaking the walls just to remind you they can.
It’s Angel Du$t in full technicolour mode. Melodic. Aggressive. Catchy. Unpredictable. The whole package.
The wild part is that “DU$T” isn’t even arriving in isolation. It follows “Cold 2 The Touch,” “The Knife,” and “The Beat,” all of which already hinted that the new record was going to be a proper detour into the band’s more ferocious lane. Angel Du$t have been many things across the last decade, but soft? Not a chance. They’ve always walked this tightrope between hardcore roots and melody-driven freedom, and somehow this new era feels even more unfiltered. Like they’re sharpening everything and having fun doing it.
And it’s not just Tripp pushing the limits. The album marks the first release with new members Nick Lewis and Jim Carroll—yes, that Jim Carroll from American Nightmare, Suicide File, The Hope Conspiracy—plus guest spots from across the hardcore universe including Scott Vogel (Terror), Wes Eisold (American Nightmare/Cold Cave), Patrick Cozens (Restraining Order), Frank Carter, and Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues/Deadbody). It’s basically a who’s-who of heavy music, all thrown into Angel Du$t’s blender of riffs, hooks, and attitude.
They’ve also reunited with producer Brian McTernan, who recorded a bunch of their early material and has credits with Turnstile, Converge, Balance & Composure… basically every band responsible for shaping modern heavy music. The result? A record that feels collaborative, instinctive and alive in that way only Angel Du$t seem able to pull off.
Tripp has always written like someone who refuses to tone himself down, and that energy is pulsing right through Cold 2 The Touch. Songs about purpose, perspective, frustration, identity, and sometimes, by his own admission, beating someone senseless for all eternity because “sometimes that’s the solution.” All delivered with a wink, a grin, and the kind of confidence that comes from doing this for long enough to care only about what feels honest.
With “DU$T,” Angel Du$t aren’t just teasing a new album. They’re reminding everyone that rock & roll doesn’t need to fit neatly anywhere. It just needs to move, shake, punch, sprint, soothe, and erupt—often all at once. And if the new single is anything to go by, Cold 2 The Touch is going to be the kind of record you play front to back without stopping, because taking a breather would ruin the fun.
Watch the “DU$T” video, crack your neck, stretch your back, and get ready. Angel Du$t are moving again, and they aren’t slowing down for anyone.
