Pints, pub grub, and pure honesty: The Hara open up about their heaviest, most authentic work yet with new album The Fall Out, due January 23rd

Words by Tanita Hingerty | Jan 14, 2026

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Look, we’ve all had creative breakthroughs in the pub. But The Hara took it to another level entirely while making The Fall Out. Recording in Hereford, they discovered their favorite spot wasn’t actually the studio – it was The Bunch of Carrots across the road. And yeah, they’ve got the receipts to prove it.

“The creative process was 80% in that pub drinking pints,” vocalist Josh Taylor laughs, not even slightly apologetic about their unconventional approach. “I spent a fortune.”

Drummer Jack Kennedy jumps in: “We actually had a tally of how much each of us spent. Mine was like… in the two weeks we were there, it was high triple figures.”

“I just sit in there by myself and eat a full English,” Taylor adds. The man knows what he’s about.

We named The Hara as one of our Ones to Watch for 2026, and with The Fall Out dropping in just a week, it’s blindingly obvious why. This lot don’t do things by halves, whether that’s racking up pub tabs or laying their souls bare in their music.

So what’s the album actually about? Taylor doesn’t sugarcoat it: “Life and depression, anxiety, self-doubt, the music industry… volume, set, survive through it all and make good music and play shows.”

Heavy stuff, but that’s precisely the point. Guitarist Zack Breen reckons this honesty is what sets the record apart. “I think it’s more honest. As a result of that kind of honesty, I think it’s more encapsulating. Listen to it, and especially as a body of work, as the album, you’ll be drawn into the world of The Fall Out a lot easier.”

Kennedy’s take is equally straightforward: “It’s definitely just exactly what we’ve been trying to get to. It’s also in the raw form. I think we just got better at everything – vocally, myself, playing-wise. Everybody just leveled up and we continue to level up, and you can see that throughout the album, which challenged us all in different ways.”

When it comes to picking favorites, Taylor immediately goes for “Bury Me” – though he’s got mixed feelings about it. “It’s one of the most ones I’m nervous about playing live because it is vocally very, very challenging.” The track he’s genuinely buzzing to unleash? “Enemy. I think it sets the tone.”

Breen’s all about “Violence,” while Kennedy’s showing love to both “Bury Me” and “Easiest to Die” (the latter gets props for having a “cool tempo” live). There’s also serious appreciation for “Kings” floating around the room.

The video for “Easiest to Die” was shot on a London rooftop, continuing the band’s long partnership with production duo Cosmic Joke – or “Cold Gel” as they’re affectionately known. These guys have been with The Hara since day one in 2018, and the creative process sounds exactly as chaotic as you’d hope.

“We usually hunker down in their offices and we go, ‘We need to think of a video. What about these colors? What about this concept? Oh no, we don’t have the money for that,’” Taylor grins. “‘Why can’t we have an exploding car?’ And they’re like, ‘All right, here’s a more realistic version of what we want.’ And we all go, ‘That’s still pretty cool. What can you do for 50 bucks?’”

The Hara’s genre-bending sound makes a lot more sense when you dig into where they’re all coming from. Kennedy grew up on rap, R&B, and gospel before discovering heavier music at 15 or 16. “I already had this kind of gospel style, which I think comes across a lot in my playing,” he explains. His drumming heroes include the late, great Aaron Spears, while Twenty One Pilots showed him what proper showmanship looks like.

The collective influence that keeps coming up? Limp Bizkit. And yes, they’re absolutely down to collaborate.

“We’re in the midst with a future collab on some stuff,” Taylor teases, staying deliberately vague. “I think Limp Bizkit would be a dream.” He’s also keen on the idea of working with Fred Again or a rapper – basically anyone who can bring a “new flavor into the Hara universe.”

They’ve already got one collaboration on the album with December Falls, which went well enough that they’re hungry for more. “I think it brings the music to much more people,” Taylor notes. “So I’d love to do something with, like, a non-metal artist.”

Tour-wise, The Hara are about to be absolutely everywhere. Two album release shows in Manchester and London next week, then an 18-date UK rampage through February and March. Sounds brilliant, right? Well, yes and no.

“I miss so much,” Taylor admits when we ask about life on the road. “I miss routine, home comforts. I’ve got OCD, probably – well, no doubt about it. I fucking love routine. I love waking up at the same time, going to the gym, seeing my dog. When you’re on tour, that all goes out the window and it sends me into a bit of a whirl.”

Kennedy gets it: “Being on tour, the things you don’t get to do are the things that suck. Which is the routine – get up, go to the gym, do this, do that. When that’s disrupted, it sucks major.”

They’ve just wrapped a European tour supporting Call Me Amour, which sounds like it was… intense. “It’s proper,” Breen offers diplomatically. “Long nights, but the traveling and the shows are always beneficial.”

“We almost ended it all,” Taylor jokes, “but the place was beautiful.”

Breen did make one crucial discovery though: bitterballen, a Dutch delicacy he’s genuinely excited about. “Mushy, meaty inside with fried bread on the outside.” Small victories, mate.

The dream? Getting big enough to bring home comforts on tour. “We need to get to a level where we can afford to have these home comforts and still play the shows,” Taylor muses. Kennedy’s got a specific vision: “I actually want a tour bus with a trailer with a gym in it.”

So what should people expect from a Hara show? The answers come flying: “Chaos energy. Unpredictability. Mosh pits. Fun. A sense of community. Living in the moment. All of them good feelings you want to feel as a human being. Happiness. Involvement. Inclusiveness. Inspiration.”

“And fashion,” Kennedy adds with a laugh. “Yeah, fashion. Korn-core fashion.”

It’s this combination of absolute chaos and genuine connection that makes their shows special. Breen puts it perfectly: “The relationship our fans have with the band and our songs is definitely an inclusive experience. We just decided to give them a peek into what’s been going on in this new album, show them a more honest and authentic side of us.”

Got any advice for bands coming up? They keep it simple: “Trust yourself. Do it for you. Don’t listen to people. Stick at it because it’s hard. Be consistent and have fun.”

Taylor adds: “Try and find someone to support you. It’s going to be very difficult.”

Kennedy drops the real wisdom though: “Gaviscon on your rider as well. That was a big one for me.”

“And baby wipes,” Taylor adds. Essential stuff.

As for the future, the goals range from Taylor wanting to grow a proper beard (he’s not optimistic) to Kennedy aiming to bench 150kg. Taylor also wants a dirt bike, which honestly tracks.

Musically? “We want to be playing some sick shows all over the place. Maybe play a country we have not played yet. Bali or something. Asia. Hawaii.”

Before we wrap, Taylor’s got a message for anyone still on the fence: “Album 23rd, The Fall Out. Listen – it’s our best work yet. Get your tickets for our shows. Come see what we’re about. If you don’t listen to us, you’re causing yourself unnecessary pain. So listen to our program.”

Breen grins: “It is unnecessary pain. I think it is as well.”

With The Fall Out landing next week as their heaviest, most brutally honest work yet, The Hara are proof that sometimes the best way forward is diving headfirst into the chaos, pint firmly in hand. We’re absolutely buzzing to hear what they’ve cooked up.

The Fall Out is released January 23rd via Mascot Records