After a 15-year hiatus, The Arrivals return with ‘Payload,’ their first new album since 2010’s ‘Volatile Molotov,’ coming soon via Recess Records. The long-awaited release marks a confident new chapter for one of Chicago’s most enduring punk bands, alongside the arrival of the album’s first single, “Just Like My Brother.”
Recorded by Joe Gac of Meat Wave at Electrical Audio, ‘Payload’ captures the band’s powerful, dynamic sound with clarity and force. The recording jumps with urgency and detail, placing melody and grit firmly side by side.
“It’s still wild to me how every time we get into a room together, after being separated by large swaths of miles and time, we just pick up exactly where we left off,” says guitarist and singer Little Dave Merriman. “This record definitely captures who we are now. It’s got some flavors we haven’t served up yet. But it’s 100 percent us. 100 percent Arrivals.”
“Just Like My Brother” earns an enthusiastic response for its buoyant rhythm and earworm chorus, carrying the spirit that made ‘Volatile Molotov’ a lasting favorite. The song celebrates chosen family with warmth and drive, reinforcing the band’s gift for pairing sharp storytelling with hooks that stay close.
Formed in Blue Island, Illinois in 1996, The Arrivals remain rooted in working-class punk shaped by decades of DIY culture. ‘Payload’ continues their tradition of letting each song stand on its own, blending influence, instinct, and lived experience into a record that sounds immediate, thoughtful, and fully alive.