Highroad No. 28 returns with new music

Highroad No. 28 first rose out of Melbourne’s heavy rock underground in the late 90s and over the years, they’ve stood as a symbol of endurance in the Australian music scene. Formed in 1998, the band whose name has become synonymous with emotional intensity and artistic determination first made their mark through a fusion of heavy riffs, poignant lyrics and a fierce will to survive. Across decades marked by reinvention and reflection, their journey has traced the full arc of human emotion, from anguish to acceptance, always based in their highly original sound.

Their earliest EPs, 1999’s Obscure Madness and Dynamic Introspection in 2002, introduced a band able to wade deep into the darker corners of songwriting and by the time their debut full-length album, Unsteady and Steady State, landed in 2005, Highroad No. 28 was going from strength to strength with each move. Touring relentlessly through 2006 and 2007, the band built a loyal following across Australia and beyond, their live shows a showcase of their magnetic chemistry and musicianship.

Then came Stumbling to Divinity in 2008, a sophomore record that confirmed their status as one of the most emotionally articulate acts in the heavy alternative sphere. After years of momentum, Highroad No. 28 slipped quietly into the shadows and from 2012 to 2024, they entered what they call a “hibernation period,” occasionally resurfacing with reworked songs and demos but largely retreating from the stage. For many, the silence only added to their mystique, but beneath it all, the creative fire smouldered, waiting for the right time to reignite.

Now, in 2025, that time has come; re-energised and creatively born anew, Highroad No. 28 are returning with their highly-anticipated third album, The Will to Endure, set to drop next month. The first taste of this new era arrives in the form of their lead single titled “Ache”, released via The Orchard/Sony Music, presenting a song that distils the emotion, cinematic scale and a deep sense of honesty that made the band such a success before. Built on brooding basslines, atmospheric guitars, bright synths and a powerful vocal performance, “Ache” serves up an anthemic alternative rock sound cut with alluring melodic songwriting.

“Ache is about emotional honesty – the pain that stays from lost love and passion, but also the strange beauty in still feeling something real,” the band shares. Recorded at Sing Sing Recording Studios in Melbourne and mixed by producer James Taplin, the track opens with the rustle of snapping drums and jarring instrumental textures before gliding into a dreamy passage of soothing tones and warm bass notes. The delicate scene gently shifts with the crunch of electric guitars and expressive vocal leads carrying blissfully melodic leads, forming an epic slice of catchy modern rock music that’s sure to win over fans both new and old.

Flowing through moments of smooth call and response vocal lines with airy synth elements and driven by energising rhythms throughout, “Ache” delivers a truly absorbing listening experience from start to finish. As they prepare for their first live shows in over a decade and with their upcoming record about to be released, Highroad No. 28 are making an emphatic return to open a thrilling new chapter in their enduring musical adventure.

Listen to Ache below

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