Albany-based up and comers FLATWOUNDS — Colin O'Hare [vocals], Matt Degnan [guitar], David Granger [bass], and Wade Coonrad [drums] — are thrilled to announce their new EP Chain Of Command. It arrives March 20 via Blue Grape Music. Pre-order it here.
Today, the band, which deftly combines a DNA-distinct blend of hardcore and '90s hard rock, shares the video for the new single "Emulator."
Comprised of live footage, the video will grab you by the scruff of your neck and toss your front and center at a Flatwounds gig. The energy is captured perfectly and is palpable!
Watch it Below.
"I've transitioned from talking about inner subjects to the exterior world," says O'Hare. "'Emulator' is about not being who you actually are. You're living life without any real meaning. There's no substance. Instead, you're the type of dude who works a job he doesn't like, drives a car he doesn't like, and complains about everything being awful. It's because he's not doing anything he loves."
Regarding the EP a a whole, O'Hare explains, "Chain of Command represents how we've evolved and matured as musicians. This is our sound. It's a little weird, dissonant, melodic, and heavy when it needs to be. The title works because most of the songs are about apathy and a lack of action. There's always a 'chain of command' in life, and it keeps you from doing what you want. It could be societal or in your head. You always have to answer to something, though."
What would a rock 'n' roll band sound like if it was born from a basement hardcore scene? Well, it might sound a bit like Flatwounds. The Albany, NY quartet could certainly send any floor into a frenzy, yet they also write hooks addictive enough to bring an arena to its feet. Forged by a cold indie underground and even colder East Coast winters, there’s chaotic intensity underneath their concrete infectiousness. The band transfixes with bold hooks and traumatize with jarring and jagged bursts of distortion. As the story goes, Colin had a show booked for December 2022 and needed a band. Knowing one another from around town, he tagged in Wade and Matt (who brought Dave into the fold). Not only did the guys play the aforementioned gig, but they wrote what would become the 2023 Raw EP. Off the latter, "Rust" and "Fade" generated hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams. Flatwounds picked up the momentum with the Down EP and Drain EP. At the top of 2025, "Drenched" surged on TikTok, amassed 171K Spotify streams, and caught the attention of Blue Grape Music and producer Brian Robbins [Beartooth, Pierce The Veil]. Early raise poured in from Revolver, Lambgoat, Idioteq, and more. Now, their signature style firmly takes shape on their 2026 EP Chain of Command [Blue Grape Music] with grit, grime, and gusto intact.
