VIAL have announced their new album, HELLHOUND, out March 6 via their own Trout Hole Records. The follow-up to 2024’s Grow The Fuck Up is a culmination of two long years perfecting each track after breaking away from their original indie sound and veering into a heavier, grittier lane.
Coinciding with the announcement of HELLHOUND is “NEVER BEEN BETTER,” the third single following the release of “CREEP SMOOTHIE” and “IDLE HANDS.” “‘NEVER BEEN BETTER’ is a whirlwind of emotions packed with old teddy bear metaphors to represent burnout,” vocalist Taylor Kraemer says. “This song was written at a time when I lost the teddy bear that I’d had since birth, called Funny Bear. It was during a really dark period of my 20s when I was desperately trying to hold myself together. ‘NEVER BEEN BETTER’ is where I simultaneously imploded and exploded.”
Read more: Raging with VIAL at The Sultan Room in NYC
Following the shooting that took place in their home city yesterday, the Minneapolis-based band also shared a message in support of their community: “Today was supposed to be the day we were supposed to tell you about our new record HELLHOUND, but our minds are now 100% on our neighbor who was shot and killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis yesterday,” VIAL say. “This was not self-defense. This was murder. Fuck ICE!”
In support of HELLHOUND, VIAL will head out on a massive tour across North America alongside opening acts Alex Vile and Scarlet Demore. Listen to “NEVER BEEN BETTER,” check out the tracklist for HELLHOUND, and see their 2026 tour dates below.
VIAL – HELLHOUND tracklist
1. “INFECTED”
2. “SCORPIO MOON”
3. “CREEP SMOOTHIE”
4. “IDLE HANDS”
5. “SOB”
6. “NEVER BEEN BETTER”
7. “HELLHOUND”
8. “UNDERMINE ME”
9. “BLAH”
10. “PUKE”
11. “TALKTALKTALK”
12. “BOREDOM/COMBUSTION”
13. “BLOOD RED”
VIAL 2026 tour dates
03/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
03/25 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
03/26 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
03/27 – Portland, OR @ Holocene03/28 – Oakland, CA @ Dollfest
03/29 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Atrium @ The Catalyst03/31 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
04/01 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
04/02 – Phoenix, AZ @ Linger Longer Lounge
04/04 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
04/07 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
04/09 – Austin, TX @ 29th Street Ballroom
04/10 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
04/11 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Resonant Head
04/14 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
04/15 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
05/07 – Cudahy, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
05/08 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
05/09 – Hamtramck, MI @ The Sanctuary
05/10 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Garage
05/12 – Montreal, QC @ L’Escogriffe
05/13 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
05/15 – Boston, MA @ Warehouse
05/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere: Zone One
05/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Nikki Lopez
05/19 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd
05/20 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s
06/19 – Gilbert, PA @ Camp Punksylvania Fest
