Brand new single from RISE

Coming out of Liverpool, RISE are a band whose sound has been intricately constructed and well before their official entrance in 2024, the four-piece had spent years developing a shared musical language, working out how melody, atmosphere and energy could collide within the same space. That history is audible in what they create now, resulting in a readily apparent sense of intention behind the music that never comes at the expense of momentum.

The band is fronted by bassist and vocalist Sam Kinley, who also works under the moniker stayMellow, alongside Paul Kinley on keyboards and backing vocals, guitarist Brian Petch and drummer Alex Mahoney. Together, they work in a space between melodic pop rock and atmospheric alternative, combining synth-driven textures with guitar work that can be equally emotionally expressive and forceful. Their songs can move quickly from high-tempo energy into more expansive, layered passages, giving the overall sound a thoroughly cinematic quality that’s won over fans across the UK and beyond.

That balance has been a central pillar in RISE’s output since their debut EP, Memories and Possibilities, landed in 2024 as the first official statement of a sound that had already been years in the making. By not treating that release as a finished blueprint, however, the band continued to develop their ideas through a series of releases over the following year, retaining the recognisable imprint of their identity while allowing subtle shifts to arise. Now, following their recent single “Always,” RISE return with their brand new release of “Hard To Leave You,” a high-octane track that places the band’s defining qualities sqaurely at the forefront.

Catchy and invigorating throughout, it combines stacked vocal harmonies with bright guitar work, creating a driving pop rock anthem that’s enthralling and thematically meaningful. Recorded at Whitewood Studios in Liverpool and produced by Rob Whiteley and Paul Kinley, the new single is a rework of a song that originally appeared on Memories and Possibilities. Framed as the Barbarian Mix, the new version seeks to capture something the original version couldn’t quite contain, with the band feeling that the 2024 recording hadn’t fully captured the energy and aggression they’d developed through performing it live.

The remix became a way of bringing those qualities into the recording, taking the intensity closer to the version that audiences would experience on stage. “Hard To Leave You” deals with the uncertainty surrounding the end, or possible end, of a relationship but the song deliberately leaves the question unresolved, giving the track an emotional tension that sits neatly alongside its energetic production. Set up by the bubble of running synth notes, the arrangement launches with belted vocal leads and the surge of guitar chords before jumping into a bouncy verse of pulsing instrumentation and smooth vocal delivery.

Rolling with lightly gritty rock aesthetic and tinged with engrossing synth textures, the instantly memorable melodic leads ring out through an absorbing blend of instrumental layers before the track launches into a dazzling chorus that pairs punching rhythm with commanding vocal hooks. Propelled by the steady patter of drums and chug of guitar tones, the intricate flicker of synth elements adds colour throughout while Sam’s spectacular vocal performance shines throughout, resulting in a thrilling musical moment that’s guaranteed to stick with you.

Listen to Hard To Leave You below

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