Posted: by The Alt Editing Staff
Photo provided by Fever Ltd.
Two years ago, Valley of Doves made their debut with the hard-hitting album The Long Arm of Light. Melding components of heavy alternative rock with post-hardcore, it examined the despairing weight of existence through personal lived experiences while retaining a sense of hope and resilience.
Today, the Birmingham, Alabama quartet are back with the first single “Hangman” off their upcoming EP Constant Remembrance of Wanting Nothing. It marks a strong step forward for the band with massive, resounding vocals and roving space-rock textures akin to the more expansive years of bands like Thrice and Hopesfall later in their careers.
The band teamed up with local Birmingham media channel Lawnchair Youth for a video session and you can check it out along with a brief Q&A below:
“Hangman” sounds heavier and more anthemic than previous releases. What made you guys choose that song as the lead single?
One of the unique things about being in the alternative/post-hardcore world is the diversity of bands we get to play with and how that inspires or affects what we’re doing. When we played shows in support of our LP, The Long Arm of Light, we were typically playing with really heavy bands. We were leaning toward writing songs that were heavier and I think those experiences helped push us in this direction. It’s common for us to be the heaviest band on an indie show and the softest band on a hardcore show. It’s helped us strengthen the marriage of heavier riffs and parts without sacrificing melody. “Hangman” feels like the perfect balance of those two aspects of our music. [Michael Abrams, guitar]
What was the inspiration behind the song?
The inspiration behind “Hangman” really is a love letter. It’s this idea of being seen and trying to see. We never really truly know how another person feels. And the idea was kind of about screaming across that void of humanity and saying “I’m here! Do you see?,” and hoping you hear a voice that’s not yours call back. That calling out, saying “I see you!” is about when you have that chance to stand and see, in awe, the beauty of the person in front of you, and you desperately hope that they see themselves as well as you see them. It’s also about sometimes having to guess what’s going on and feeling that maybe you only have so many tries in this life. [Sean Kirby, bass]
What was the creative process like for the accompanying video with Lawnchair Youth?
We have wanted to shoot an LCY Uncut video for quite some time. Tim is based here in Birmingham and he’s shot this style for tons of national touring acts as well as local ones. “Hangman” made total sense. It felt natural to have this one be a performance video so people could see the song for what it is, rather than narrative or conceptual. We practiced it once and then he shot it in one take. There’s something about the unpolished, “what you see is what you get” approach that flies in the face of everything that’s so contrived these days. Shooting an honest performance video felt like the right move for our first single. [Michael Abrams]
What can listeners expect from the upcoming EP?
The additional songs on the EP are also heavier and more angular in places than our previous record. More dynamic shifts, emotional intensity, and experimentation rather than straight aggression. One of the musicians we respect the most described the songs as reminiscent of Antenna-era Cave In and Moments in Grace. Those are extremely kind words and we’re honored to be mentioned in the same breath as those bands. We’re stoked for everyone to hear it. [Michael Abrams]
Valley of Doves is
Paxton Brittle – vocals
Michael Abrams – guitar
Adam Clayton – drums
Sean Kirby – bass
Constant Remembrance of Wanting Nothing is out on March 20, 2026 via Fever Ltd.
Limited edition CDs are available for pre-order here
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Loan Pham | @x_loanp
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