Belonging formed out of the tight-knit DIY scenes of the Upper Midwest, later converging with the heavier and more experimental currents of the Pacific Northwest. The result is a massive, emotionally complex sound, blending the raw urgency of punk and screamo with the heavy, hypnotic energy of sludge, psych, and grunge.
Fresh from their successful vinyl release, Hollow Cells, in the summer, February sees the band teaming up with fellow Portlanders, Inny, for a split EP entitled The Dog. Today we premiere the title track.
Belonging
Belonging’s side of The Dog finds the band honing their dynamic control and emotional volatility into a tightly interlocked suite of songs. The tracks move with heavy momentum—each one digging deeper into themes of disconnection and restraint, then flaring up into moments of cathartic release. But for all the tension and texture, these songs stick—melodies and phrases linger, and the verses and choruses feel built to shout along with. It’s the sound of something fraying at the edges, still pulsing with clarity and conviction—unsettling, resonant, and deeply human.
Inny
On the flip side, Inny is a different animal altogether. Their three tracks snap, coil, and jab with tightly wound precision—built on sharp guitar interplay, shifting rhythms, and vocals that swing from barked commands to flat-eyed defiance. The songs feel forged in basement heat: lean, urgent, and charged with confrontation. Where Belonging creates tension through space and emotional gravity, Inny builds it through friction and speed, turning every riff into a pressure point. It’s bracing, wired music that bites first and doesn’t ask questions.
The Dog is released on February 6, 2026 via Dipterid Records, and can be pre-ordered here on Bandcamp.
