THE HAUNTED YOUTH RETURN WITH FIERY NEW SINGLE “MURDER ME” AHEAD OF BOYS CRY TOO
Fresh off a run of packed-out shows at SXSW, The Haunted Youth are keeping the momentum going with their new single “murder me,” the second preview of their upcoming album Boys Cry Too, out May 8, via Play It Again Sam.
The track marks a noticeable shift in energy for the band. Where earlier material leaned into dreamy, atmospheric indie, “murder me” hits harder, pulling in a darker, more aggressive edge. There’s a goth-tinged, grunge-heavy intensity running through it, giving the song a raw, almost confrontational feel that stands out immediately.
That evolution is intentional. Frontman Joachim Liebens describes the new record as more direct and emotionally charged than anything the band has released before.
“I was really in touch with the male side of my emotions,” Liebens explains. “The first half of the record is basically how everyone sees a boy when he’s heartbroken. He puts his walls up, he’s paranoid, he’s angry, he’s aggressive. But then the second half is this whole other story. It’s vulnerable. I want to show the vulnerable part of men and boys and celebrate it instead of making it this whole stigma that’s been going on for so long.”
That push and pull is already present in “murder me,” where aggression and vulnerability sit right on top of each other. It feels tense, emotional, and unfiltered in a way that hints at a larger narrative unfolding throughout the album.
Led by Liebens, The Haunted Youth have been steadily building a reputation for blending cinematic indie textures with deeply personal songwriting. With Boys Cry Too, it sounds like they’re leaning further into that identity while also expanding it into something heavier and more immediate.
Boys Cry Too arrives May 8, 2026 via Play It Again Sam, with “murder me” out now.m Pre-order the album HERE!
1. in my head
2. castlevania
3. deathwish
4. emo song
5. wake up
6. hurt
7. murder me
8. falling to pieces
9. i hear voices
10. forget me
11. ghost girl