Alternative Rock from Roses In December

Rising from the UK’s alternative scene, Roses In December are a band with a potent sound instilled with a purpose. Once known as Crux, the four-piece channel their frustrations and ideals through an uncompromising fusion of punk, grunge and progressive rock which takes shape as a pointed reaction to the realities of living under late capitalism, a world rife with corporate greed, toxic masculinity and the prioritisation of individualism over community. The act of creating is inseparable from the act of resisting for this band and they want listeners to see, to feel and to think, transforming anger into something constructive, even liberating.

The story of the band begins in the halls of sixth form, where Max and guitarist Jake bonded over a shared love of football, classic rock and bands like Muse and Red Hot Chili Peppers. That connection soon flourished into collaboration, leading to the recruitment of bassist Hallam and drummer Joe. With that lineup, Roses In December came into being, a group forged by friendship and a shared disdain for complacency and together, their aim is to amplify the voices and experiences of working people in the North, a region often sidelined by the cultural and political powers that be.

While their sound carries the fury of protest, it’s equally inflected by storytelling and atmosphere; the band draw creative inspiration from films such as Parasite and Fight Club, as well as the writing of Irvine Welsh, works that dissect social hierarchies and the human cost of inequality. That balance has helped Roses In December make a significant impression in the UK’s modern rock sphere, earning airplay on BBC Radio 1 and spots at festivals including The Alternative Escape and A Stone’s Throw 2024.

Since their debut single “Bigg Market” in 2019, the band’s catalogue has steadily expanded, carrying their message forward with growing impact and ambition. Now, they return with their latest single titled “Inferno,” their most progressive and perhaps most compelling work to date. The track grew from a riff that has been with them since 2015, a sonic fragment finally realised in full form during a late-night rehearsal at Pulse Music Productions in Blyth. Inspired in part by songs like Opeth’s “Eternal Rains Will Come,” the band stumbled upon a chord progression that set off an explosive chain reaction, resulting in a chorus that burns with pure sonic intensity.

Sliding in gently with intricate guitar notes and tender vocals, the arrangement surges as Max’s vocals take flight above crashing drums and crunching guitars. Launching into a riff-driven frenzy capped by lively vocal delivery, the track swells with raucous energy before floating back down to the delicate shuffle of the verse. Rolling through charging choruses and slick instrumental passages reaching a scorching guitar solo, the track serves up an engrossing modern rock experience from start to finish.

To match the song’s sonic ferocity, Viz comics cartoonist Lee Healey created artwork that depicts twelve disciples of a wine-soaked devil raising their glasses as flames consume the scene, a vivid metaphor for a world collapsing under its own corruption. Together, the music and imagery distils Roses In December vision into a battle cry from a band determined to make you feel every spark of resistance they stand for.

Commenting on the single, the band shares, “Inferno, our proggiest song to date, highlights our despair at the increasing likelihood of the world becoming a spherical flame pit either from global warming, war, or a nuclear holocaust. With world leaders/oligarchs snatching more and more power from the people via force or covert means.”

Listen to Inferno below

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