A Wilhelm Scream are back with “Let It Ride,” a new single that wastes no time reminding everyone why this band still sits at the top of the melodic hardcore and punk crossover world. The song is a preview of their upcoming album Cheap Heat, due out on February 27, and it sounds like a band fully locked in and moving with purpose.
“Let It Ride” hits fast and stays sharp. The guitars come in tight and aggressive, the drums push everything forward without letting up, and the vocals ride that familiar balance between melody and grit that has always defined A Wilhelm Scream. It is technical without being showy, heavy without losing speed, and catchy without turning soft.
What stands out is how confident the track feels. There is no hesitation in the way the song moves. Every shift in tempo and every riff change feels intentional, like a band that knows exactly what it wants to say and how it wants to say it. It is the kind of song that feels built for both packed rooms and repeat listens at home.
Compared to earlier previews from Cheap Heat, “Let It Ride” leans hard into momentum and attitude. It carries that familiar AWS intensity but with a sense of looseness and swagger that keeps it from feeling mechanical. The band sound energized rather than calculated, focused rather than flashy.
Production stays clear and powerful without sanding down the edges. You can hear every part working, but nothing feels overworked or overly polished. It still sounds like a band, not a computer perfect version of one.
A Wilhelm Scream have always been about precision and speed, but also about heart and commitment to the song itself. “Let It Ride” fits right into that tradition. It does not try to surprise for the sake of it. It just delivers a strong, fast, and tightly written punk song that does exactly what it should.
If this is the tone Cheap Heat is setting, February is shaping up to be loud, fast, and worth the wait.
