HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS Signs With THRILLER RECORDS, Shares New Single 'Carry Me'

Thriller Records has announced the signing of the Ohio-based powerhouse HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS. To celebrate the news, the band has unveiled a new single, "Carry Me", arriving Friday, October 30. The music video for the track will make its online debut at 12 p.m. ET. As the first release through their partnership with the label, the track offers an exciting glimpse into what's ahead while staying true to who HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS is.

"The real challenge for me in writing new music, this far into our career, is trying to go down roads we've never explored," says HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS vocalist JT Woodruff. "What does the heavier side of HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS really sound like, and how far down are we willing to swim in those waters? I felt really good just starting with a riff, and letting the riff lead the way.

"I've always listened to heavy music, which has subtly paved the way for our guitar parts. From early 2000s bands like SNAPCASE, POISON THE WELL and FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES to modern bands like KNOCKED LOOSE, BEARTOOTH and TURNSTILE, we've always loved heavy music. The real question was how far we could go before it stopped sounding like HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS.

"Lyrically, I am always a bit of a mess," he continues. "I hold everything in until I am ready to scorch the earth, or detonate, if you will.

"Songwriting is a massive outlet for me, and I spend a lot of early mornings grinding through the problems in my head.

"Death is a massive issue for me. I lost both of my parents way too early, and I often feel I lack an adult support system, so I've had to become an adult on my own many years ago. Those are feelings I carry every day. I try to find ways to find hope in the darkness, and that is where 'Carry Me' is coming from.

"It feels pretty bleak right now, mostly due to things people can't change on their own, so I currently feel a lot of anger. This song brought out an anger in my voice that hasn't been there for awhile, and I embraced it."

"'Carry Me' is about finding yourself in the frayed edges of your mind, where nothing feels perfect, and every small thing feels overwhelming," Woodruff adds.

"All of our old-school fans will notice a few callbacks within HAWTHORNE lore, but this song is firmly planted in the present. This is an angrier HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS. What is gone is the era of fans coding songs they love into their MySpace players, just for the love of music discovery. What is left is a dark ocean where people get dragged into the current of the blue light from their phone, and it just drags them under. It's overwhelming, because it should be.

"Nobody taught any of us how to deal with a constant onslaught of technology, Internet personalities, and the cold reality of comparing yourself to every other person in the world. That experiment has ended in failure, but in the world of HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, there is always hope."

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, formed in Dayton, Ohio in 2001, built their reputation on emotionally raw songwriting, blending the urgency of post-hardcore with the melodic sensibilities of early 2000s emo and punk. Frontman JT Woodruff's lyrics often explore themes of distance, identity, and perseverance, drawing on both personal experiences and the band's deep roots in the alternative music scene.

Throughout their long and storied career, HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS have overcome obstacles at every turn — but these challenges often came from external forces, from unscrupulous record labels and shifting musical trends to unimaginable personal tragedy that threatened to derail them. Despite the odds, the quartet — JT Woodruff (vocals, guitar),Mark McMillon (guitar, backing vocals) and Matt Ridenour (bass, backing vocals) — has persevered. They've earned two gold albums (2004's "The Silence In Black and White" and 2006's "If Only You Were Lonely"),written some of the genre's most enduring anthems ("Ohio Is For Lovers", "Saying Sorry"),and remained a relentless touring force for over two decades after their formation.

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS is:

JT Woodruff (lead vocals, rhythm guitar)
Matt Ridenour (bass, backing vocals)
Mark McMillon (lead guitar, unclean vocals)