Melbourne hardcore outfit ILLAN KAAPAN have unveiled two of their most punishing tracks yet, releasing visuals for “THE RISING TIDE” and “KEEPS ME ALIVE” ahead of their new EP, UNDENIABLE.
Due out August 31st through Reason and Rage Records and Life.Lair.Regret. Records, the six track release marks a significant step forward for ILLAN KAAPAN following their 2025 debut, The Demo.
While the band remain rooted firmly in the intensity and immediacy of hardcore, UNDENIABLE expands their sound through the incorporation of traditional Sri Lankan thammattama drums.
For vocalist Asela Marcelline, the two new singles represent two different connections to home.
“Our new tracks THE RISING TIDE and KEEPS ME ALIVE are songs about two homes- one’s for Melbourne and one’s for Sri Lanka”
“The Rising Tide” dives into the intensity of Melbourne’s hardcore community, while “Keeps Me Alive” explores Marcelline’s experience as a Sri Lankan immigrant and the importance of maintaining that cultural identity.
“KEEPS ME ALIVE is very much about being an immigrant. Especially being Sri Lankan and brown. Being Lankan is such an important part of who we are. For me, to move somewhere after you’ve fully formed your life and personality without losing that sense of where you came from, despite how much the world tries to mute that part of you is everything. Being Sri Lankan and being an immigrant kept me alive, and it never kept me down.”
The accompanying video (below), directed by Sri Lankan filmmaker Prad Sen, captures ILLAN KAAPAN doing what they do best: turning DIY and all-ages spaces into controlled chaos.
Filmed at a recent Melbourne show, the footage moves from the band’s furious live performance into something equally important to their sense of community, a traditional Sri Lankan meal prepared by the band for more than 70 people.
Undeniable
“I feel like I go into every show and walk out with a hundred stories and experiences – ranging from absolute joy to total hurt – from the Rising Tide of people in these rooms”.
With support for US hardcore act Orthodox already behind them, ILLAN KAAPAN are continuing to build their reputation as one of Australia’s most compelling emerging hardcore acts.
“That is what this whole record is about lyrically – the undeniable power of being part of something.”
UNDENIABLE arrives digitally August 31st, with CD and vinyl editions to follow.
UNDENIABLE Tracklist
- THE RISING TIDE
- KEEPS ME ALIVE
- WHERE U STAND (BUILT TO WITHSTAND)
- MADE OF STONE
- HAND IN HAND
- ANGER IS A PLACE ON EARTH
Pre order CD here.
Pre order vinyl here.
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