Broncos Embrace Vulnerability at Full Volume on ‘Hold Me’
Belfast-based Broncos come out swinging in 2026, hitting new heights with their blistering new single Hold Me. A visceral slice of melodic post-hardcore, the track finds the band fully embracing everything that has fuelled their growing reputation: fist-in-the-air hooks, speaker-shredding riffs, and a sense of emotional urgency that feels both cathartic and communal.
Hold Me arrives on the back of a highly successful run of singles throughout 2024 and 2025, a period that saw Broncos steadily gather momentum across Ireland’s alternative scene. Premieres on RTE 2XM and BBC Introducing, alongside features from Hot Press, Chordblossom, Genuine Irish, First Contact Music, Pure M Zine, Ragged Cast, Admire Collide, IMRO, Rock N Load, UberRock, and Daily Earworm, positioned the band as one to watch long before 2026 began. That ascent was cemented by a much-talked-about live set at a packed Ulster Sports Club during Output 2025, where Broncos proved their songs were built to thrive in the room.
Lyrically, Hold Me marks a striking emotional pivot. Rather than posturing or bravado, the song is an ode to vulnerability: opening yourself to the people you trust most, and allowing them access to the most intimate corners of who you are. That openness is mirrored in the track’s dual vocal approach. Shane and Cameron trade and intertwine vocal lines, adding light and shade, tension and release, while subtle synth layers and spiralling delays deepen the emotional pull without softening the impact.
The band’s origins speak to the chemistry on display here. Broncos took shape as earlier projects dissolved or never fully materialised for Michael on drums and Cameron on guitar and backing vocals. It wasn’t until Shane joined on vocals and bass that the band truly found its form. Their debut single Erode in September 2024 announced that arrival with anthemic intent, while 2025 follow-ups Lights Out and Lover confirmed Broncos as a vital new voice. Drawing from their influences without leaning on tired genre tropes, they offered a modern, refreshed take on post-hardcore that felt urgent rather than nostalgic.
Musically, Hold Me is relentless. A brief, chiming intro gives way to Michael’s gunshot snare, acting as a starter pistol for a track that refuses to let up. Drums drive the song forward with pounding kick-and-snare patterns and rolling tom fills, echoed by Cameron’s snaking guitar lines, while Shane’s bass keeps everything anchored and muscular. The pre-chorus, built around the line “old habits, die hard / old habits, leave scars,” is tailor-made for a sweaty crowd to shout back in unison. A tempo shift in the chorus delivers both neck-snapping force and instant sing-along appeal.
Midway through, the track briefly opens up. Michael’s drums unleash a Dave Grohl-esque avalanche of toms and cymbals beneath Shane’s more celestial vocal moment, “align the stars for kicks,” offering a breath before the band slam back in to finish the job. In just over three minutes, Hold Me captures exactly why Broncos have been steadily building a reputation as one of Belfast’s most exciting heavy acts.
True to form, the band’s approach remains fiercely DIY. Broncos recorded and mixed the track themselves, with Shane handling production and mixing duties in the band’s practice space, tucked away in an industrial enterprise centre, where the roar of passing trucks is drowned out by sheer volume. Artwork for the single was completed by Michael, reinforcing the band’s hands-on ethos at every stage.
With Hold Me, Broncos sound like a band fully stepping into themselves. Reckless yet controlled, vulnerable yet explosive, they channel the intensity of bands like At The Drive-In and the anthemic weight of Alexisonfire, while shaping something distinctly their own. As they prepare for a headline slot at Old Crows Promotions’ Sweet Sweet Noise all-dayer on February 7th, Broncos stand not just as a formidable live act, but as a band redefining post-hardcore on their own terms.
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