Emerging from Southern California’s underground rock scene, Grief & Bliss isn’t a band that shies away from emotion. Their latest release, the four-track LP Suicidal Summer Rider, is a dense, atmospheric blend of rock and shoegaze, released on March 13, 2025. The project feels like a deep dive into nostalgia and catharsis, a soundtrack for hazy afternoons fading into restless nights.
Helmed entirely by Chris, who composed and performed all the music, the album carries a deeply personal touch. Every guitar line is drenched in reverb, every drum hit resonates with a sense of longing, and the overall production feels as if it was designed to immerse the listener in a dreamlike haze. The record balances melody and distortion, moving fluidly between heavy, crashing moments and softer, introspective passages—a sonic push and pull that mirrors the emotional weight of its title.
To ensure the album’s sonic depth, mastering was handled by Neil Schneider, bringing clarity to its layered, effects-heavy sound. The visuals complement the music’s mood perfectly, with cover photography by Annie Spratt and K. Mitch Hodge, while Chris and Francisco Hernandez collaborated on the artwork design, giving the LP an aesthetic that’s both stark and beautifully surreal.
Suicidal Summer Rider plays like an ode to restless summers, self-destruction, and fleeting beauty. It’s the kind of record that lingers—a slow-burning, reverb-drenched ride through the highs and lows of isolation, longing, and raw emotion. Fans of Nothing, Whirr, or The Daysleepers will find plenty to sink into, but Grief & Bliss carves its own distinct path, proving that shoegaze can still sound fresh, urgent, and deeply personal.
