Loathe Is Back: ‘Revenant’ is the Fever Dream We’ve Been Waiting For

Let’s be real: six years is an eternity in the music world. When Loathe dropped I Let It In and It Took Everything back in 2020, they didn’t just release an album—they shifted the entire tectonic plate of modern heavy music. Since then? Mostly silence.

That silence just ended.

With the announcement of their third LP, A Stranger To You (dropping July 17), the Liverpool quartet has finally shared “Revenant” And if you were expecting a straight-up metalcore banger, think again. This is Loathe doing what they do best: refusing to play by the rules.

Throwing the Rulebook Out the Window

Calling “Revenant” a “pop” song is technically true in the sense that it’s catchy, but it feels more like a haunted, industrial fever dream.

The band teamed up with Jami Morgan and Eric “Shade” Balderose (the brains behind Code Orange and their project NOWHERE2RUN), and you can hear that DNA all over the track. It starts with these shimmering, icy synths that feel almost nostalgic before dropping into a groove that’s heavy, rhythmic, and deeply unsettling.

It’s not “heavy” because of a breakdown; it’s heavy because of the atmosphere. It’s the kind of song that makes you feel like you’re walking through a neon-lit city at 3:00 AM while everything is slightly blurred.

The Meaning Behind the Ghost

A “revenant” is someone who returns from the dead. For a band that’s been largely MIA for half a decade, the title feels intentional. Bassist Feisal El-Khazragi recently touched on the hiatus, mentioning how much they’ve changed as people and how those shifting tastes fueled this new era.

The lyrics lean into that discomfort—dealing with the “ghosts” of who you used to be and trying to find a footing in a world that moved on while you were away. Kadeem France’s vocals remain some of the most emotive in the game, pivoting from ethereal whispers to that signature grit without breaking a sweat.

What’s Next for ‘A Stranger To You’?

This isn’t just a collection of singles. The band has been vocal about the fact that the new 14-track album is meant to be a gapless, immersive experience. The guest list alone tells you how wide they’re casting the net:

• Jordan Rakei (bringing some soul and jazz influence)

• Static Dress (for that post-hardcore energy)

• Mansur Brown (adding some incredible prog-rock guitar work)

Catch Them on the Road

If the studio version of “Revenant” is this layered, seeing it live is going to be a religious experience. Loathe is hitting the US this fall with Fleshwater and Prostitute, and these rooms are definitely going to be packed.

• Sept 23: Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore

• Sept 25: Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount

• Oct 4: Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek

The Verdict: Loathe didn’t come back to reclaim their old spot; they came back to build a new one. “Revenant” is weird, beautiful, and slightly terrifying—exactly what we needed.