If you haven’t been paying attention to Headwreck yet, now is a very good time to start. The Brisbane nu-metal quartet have just announced a partnership with EMPIRE — one of the most respected independent labels on the planet — making them the first nu-metal act to join a roster that counts Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, and Shaboozey among its alumni. That’s not a small deal. That’s a statement.
Alongside the announcement, the band have dropped their new single Raindrops — their first new music since Attitude Adjustment, the ARIA-charting record they released back in October. It debuted on triple j Drive earlier this week to a buzzing textline, and it’s easy to hear why. Textured production, mixed vocal delivery, chunky guitars and drum grooves that hit exactly where they’re supposed to — and lyrics that explore the feeling of not being able to shake someone who’s bad for you, delivered with the same chaotic energy that’s made Headwreck one of the most exciting acts to come out of Australia in recent memory. Stream it now and watch the video above.
The Label That Gets It
What makes this signing feel right isn’t just the prestige of the EMPIRE name — it’s the way both sides talk about it. Peter Kim, Director of A&R at EMPIRE, put it plainly: “There’s a rawness and intensity to what they’re doing that feels both fresh and necessary right now. They’ve got the songs, the identity, and the ambition to break on a global level.”
Cameron Walsh, EMPIRE’s Australian Territory Manager, went further, pointing to what makes Headwreck genuinely different — the fully in-house creative, the chaotic live shows, and the way they take early 2000s heaviness and stretch it into something that sits at the intersection of metalcore, alternative, and electronic-driven sounds. “For EMPIRE, it’s about aligning with artists who are shaping culture in real time,” he said, “and Headwreck are doing that in a way that feels both raw and authentic.”
The band themselves summed it up in typically no-nonsense fashion: “We can guarantee it won’t be boring.”
Where They’ve Come From
To understand why this moment feels significant, it helps to know the trajectory. Connor Hickman (vocals), Jamo Benadie (guitar), Dayne Paix (bass) and Colby Horton (drums) have spent the last few years cutting their teeth supporting Australian heavyweights — Northlane, The Amity Affliction, Polaris, Thornhill — before stepping out on their own debut headline tour last month, a completely sold-out run across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Attitude Adjustment debuted at number seven on the Australian Album Charts and number nine on the Vinyl Charts. They’ve crossed 3.5 million streams. And triple j Unearthed have named them one of their Forecast Artists for 2026. The groundwork has been laid.
What’s Next — EU/UK Tour, Download Festival & More
The timing of all this is no accident. Headwreck are currently mid-way through a mammoth EU/UK run supporting Paledusk, taking in Manchester, London, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, and more through the rest of May. From there they head into a run of headline shows before appearing at Download Festival at Donington Park on 12 June — joining We Came As Romans and Thrown on sideshows either side of the festival weekend.
Then in September, they head back home to support British metalcore band Bury Tomorrow across Australia, hitting Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
Raindrops is out now via EMPIRE.
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