Calling All Captains - All Things That I've Lost EP
- Samuel Stevens
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Canadian pop-punk/post-hardcore mainstays Calling All Captains return with The Things That I’ve Lost, a seven-track EP that finds the Edmonton quartet at their most exposed, introspective, and emotionally driven. Out January 9, 2026, via New Damage Records, the release doesn’t just continue the band’s upward trajectory—it sharpens it, distilling years of lived experience into a tightly wound, cathartic statement.
Fronted by lead vocalist Luc Gauthier alongside guitarist and vocalist Connor Dawkins, guitarist and vocalist Brad Bremner, and drummer Tim Wilson, Calling All Captains have long excelled at balancing vulnerability with aggression. On the band's latest EP, The Things That I’ve Lost, that balance feels more intentional than ever. These songs don’t hide behind volume or velocity; instead, they lean into discomfort, confronting burnout, grief, fractured identity, and the emotional cost of perseverance head-on.
The opening track “Stay Away” sets the tone immediately, pairing urgency with emotional exhaustion. It’s a familiar sonic space for the band—punchy guitars, driving drums, and layered powerful vocals—but there’s a noticeable weight beneath the surface, as if every note carries something unspoken. “Call Me” follows with a more melodic pull, showcasing the band’s knack for hooks without sacrificing sincerity. The push-and-pull between the clean and gritty vocals reinforces the EP’s central tension: wanting connection while simultaneously retreating inward.
That tension deepens on “A New Type of Grey,” a standout that captures the emotional numbness that comes after prolonged struggle. Rather than explosive catharsis, the track simmers, letting its melancholy settle in. It’s here that the band’s songwriting maturity becomes most evident—knowing when to pull back can be just as powerful as going full throttle.
The emotional core of the EP arrives with “Blood for Blood,” the latest single and arguably its most ambitious moment. Co-written with acclaimed songwriter Tom Denney (A Day to Remember, Pierce the Veil, Neck Deep), the track pushes Calling All Captains into darker, more conceptual territory.
Framed as an imaginary confrontation with one’s worst self at the end of life, “Blood for Blood” wrestles with the idea of internal darkness—not as something to be erased, but understood. Sonically, it’s blistering and dynamic, seamlessly blending post-hardcore grit with pop-punk melody, while lyrically, it cuts deep, embracing the discomfort of self-reckoning.
“Say That You Hate Me” and “Dark Clouds” continue the emotional descent, exploring themes of emotional distance and lingering heaviness. These tracks thrive on contrast—soaring choruses offset by introspective verses—reinforcing the idea that pain and clarity often coexist. There’s a sense that the band isn’t searching for easy resolutions, but rather learning to sit with unresolved feelings.
The Things That I’ve Lost closes out with the track “Salt Lines,” bringing the EP to a reflective close. It feels less like an ending and more like an explosive acknowledgment of everything that’s been lost—and what remains. Rather than offering closure, it leaves space for the listener to fill in their own experiences, mirroring the EP’s deeply personal foundation.
Gauthier describes The Things That I’ve Lost as the most personal release the band has ever put out, and that honesty resonates throughout each of its seven tracks. There’s no posturing here—just lived through emotion, translated through explosive live energy and refined songwriting. Calling All Captains sound louder, sharper, and more self-aware than ever, proving that vulnerability doesn’t weaken their sound—it defines it.
With The Things That I’ve Lost, Calling All Captains continue to cement their place as one of modern pop-punk/post-hardcore’s most compelling and emotionally resonant voices. It’s a release that doesn’t just ask to be heard—it asks to be felt as well.
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