Weakened Friends - Feels Like Hell out October 10th!
The story of Weakened Friends unfolds a bit like Fleetwood Mac’s—minus the cocaine, plus a dose of multivitamins. Just over a decade ago, vocalist Sonia Sturino invited bassist Annie Hoffman to start a new band. At the time, Annie was dating drummer Adam Hand. In a way that couldn’t be helped, Annie and Sonia fell in love and got married—and after the original drummer left—Adam, who had been out of the picture until then, stepped back in. Crucially, he joined not out of jealousy, but out of love and support for Annie's journey and relationship. That gesture of solidarity turned what could have been a fraught situation into one rooted in mutual care—and eventually into music that reached and moved countless others.
Following the March release of their cover of “Torn”, Weakened Friends announced today the October 10 release of their new album Feels Like Hell via Don Giovanni and share the single “Tough Luck (Bleed Me Out).”
"Tough Luck" is a middle finger to the myth of grind culture—a loud, cathartic rejection of the idea that our worth is measured by how much we can work, produce, or endure.
“After years of bouncing between underpaid, dead-end part-time jobs and being treated like a cog in a machine, we channeled that frustration into a rallying cry against toxic capitalism,” says the band of the album opener. “It’s both a personal exorcism and a collective anthem for anyone who's ever felt burned out, used up, and still told to be grateful for the privilege. It’s a reminder that there's power in stepping back, speaking out, and saying no to a system that was never built to care about us in the first place.”
The music video for “Tough Luck" finds the band doing what they do best: playing their hearts out — this time on the stage of Portland, Maine’s historic State Theatre. Directed by longtime collaborator Jim Gilbert and shot on location in the band’s hometown, the video features a massive LED wall built specifically for the performance and introduces a new chapter for Weakened Friends — a band known for their raw honesty, killer hooks, and the kind of chemistry that can’t be faked.
At a time when numbness prevails and singers whisper apathy rather than scream their feelings, Feels Like Hell offers a compelling antidote. Sonia sings about everything threatening to kill the spirit—deep nihilism in the face of global capitalism—with the kind of spirit that can’t be killed. Sonia’s vocals imagine better worlds, ones free of restraint or surveillance. There’s no self-censorship here—Sonia isn’t afraid to scream until their throat is raw, and Annie isn’t afraid to groove through the apocalypse. Leaning into rock and post-pop-punk with heart and reverence, they perform with a freedom many feel bereft of today.
Feels Like Hell also channels a personal journey for Sonia. It’s the first record they’ve made since embracing their identity as a gender-nonconforming person. They’ve completely redefined their relationship to their own voice—finally hearing themselves clearly, without straining to sound softer or more traditionally feminine. “It was really important to me, and it makes me feel so much better about this record because I feel like I hear me. I’m not scared to hear myself; I’m not judging myself anymore.”
On their third full-length and after being praised by The New York Times, Pitchfork, and NPR Music, the writing is less cluttered by second-guessing and lyrical obstacles—a shift thanks in part to Annie. While Sonia sometimes stifles their own creativity, Annie offers a warm, encouraging outside perspective without being sycophantic. “I just realized you care so much about this and about me, and the fact that we’re in a relationship and you care about me as a person, not just a bandmate, allowed me to trust you completely,” Sonia says to Annie.
Grounded in love, Weakened Friends make music to soundtrack the movie of your life—whether screaming along in the car with friends, serenading your cat, falling in love, getting married, or starting a band.
Tour Dates [Tickets]:
08/02 - Portland, ME @ Back Cove Festival
09/21 - Chicago, IL @ Riot Festival
10/16 - Troy, NY @ No Fun
10/17 - Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
10/18 - Toronto, ON @ The Sound Garage
10/22 - Cincinnati, OH @ Radio Artifact
10/23 - Chattanooga, TN @ The Boneyard
10/25 - Gainesville, FL @ THE FEST
10/29 - Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor
10/30 - Durham, NC @ The Pinhook
10/31 - Atlanta, GA @ Altar at the Masquerade
11/01 - Greenville, SC @ Swanson’s Warehouse
11/05 - Cudahy, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
11/07 - Detroit, MI @ Lager House
11/08 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog House
11/09 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
11/12 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Bottlerocket Social Hall
11/13 - Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
11/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Nikki Lopez
11/15 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Sultan Room
11/16 - Amherst, MA @ The Drake
11/20 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
11/21 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
Feels Like Hell
01. Touch Luck (Bleed Me Out)
02. Lightspeed
03. Nosebleed
04. Weightless
05. Interlude 1
06. NPC (feat. Buckethead)
07. Smoke and Mirrors
08. Queen of Town
09. Not for Nothing
10. Interlude 2
11. Great Expectations
12. Torn
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