Broncos – Hold Me (2026)
Perfectly named, listening to Belfast-based trio Broncos is like being tossed about with the jolting, jarring, and almost whiplash intensity of breaking a bucking bronco (one of those really mean horses with flaring nostrils, crazy eyes and jet-black coat). It’s the madness of a rodeo, complete with the heart-stopping ride and all the people screaming along, but all in the form of ferocious alt-rock melodies. Fiercely DIY with the tumultuous attitude to match, Broncos bursts with raw energy and a face-slapping personality. Following their well-received 2025 single, ‘Lover’, Michael Smyth (drums), Cameron Leggat (guitar and backing vocals), and Shane McMullan (vocals and bass) stomp into 2026 with ‘Hold Me’.
From the outset, you’re tossed into a ruckus of screaming drums – piercing with pounding snare and heart-pumping cymbals keeping the momentum. Enter McMullan’s bass, snaking through with its bold brashness, yet retaining a sense of harmony and anchoring in the melody. Scorching across and slicing through, Leggat’s guitar leaves a blistering red light holding, leading, and streaming in the sonic tapestry. Rambunctious and bombastic, ‘Hold Me’ is made for the underground club with intoxicated audiences jumping about, pumping their fist and screaming the lyrics.
The full rush of an alt-rock bomb hits in the melody, but, and this is for me, there appears to be a calming factor: McMullan’s rich vocals. Dripping with raw vulnerability, frustration and a punch in the gut vibe, you might imagine something brash and crazed; however, a lingering depth and sweetness subdues the tempest slightly.
So, overall thoughts of ‘Hold Me’ and Broncos? Yes, the crushing melody aligns with the adrenaline of a rodeo or maybe that shot of tequila before hitting the mosh pit. ‘Hold Me’, however, isn’t as boisterous as some of their previous work. Noisy, loud and the hint of disorderly exuberance, but in those unrestrained tones, the trio are fragile, vulnerable, and tinged with melancholy poignancy. Overall, I love how Broncos use the spiky madness to both mask and unveil raw innocence and soul-stinging emotion.
Find out more about Broncos on their Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Old Crows Promotions
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