Howling Bells have unveiled their latest single “Heavy Lifting“, a song featuring loose-limbed drums and bluesy intonation as Juanita takes aim at the entitled and the opportunist.
She explains: “‘Heavy Lifting’ is a hazy and grunge-fueled declaration. Like anyone who’s worked at the thing they love tirelessly, you build up great resilience. The callouses on your hands, the muscles you’ve strengthened, the swagger in your stride. ‘Heavy Lifting’ is a song about the thousands of miles you walk to acquire this kind of confidence; this is not anything that can be stripped away from you.”
The single comes off Strange Life, their first album in over 12 years, arriving February 13, 2026 on Nude Records.
The single is accompanied by a video directed by Orlando Cubitt.
Since their beginnings, breaking through with their acclaimed self-titled debut back in 2006 amidst a landscape of scrappy British indie and skinny-jeaned male dominance, the Australian trio – vocalist/guitarist Juanita Stein, her brother and guitarist Joel Stein and drummer Glenn Moule – have been something of an anomaly. They might have moved to the other side of the world in pursuit of the dreams that soon became a reality, playing at an NME Tour and then in stadiums supporting Coldplay whilst whipping up acclaim from the most credible ends of the music press. They may have seen various members come and go, but Howling Bells’ hypnotic indie rock always stood apart from the pack and was very much a reflection of their unbreakable union.
Influenced by the likes of Tom Waits and Sonic Youth, as well as Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac, and Björk, their recipe created a heady, immersive stew – equal parts sepia-toned romance and gritty rock ‘n’ roll thrills.
