Finish Just to Begin by Turn of Phrase had my 2025 Demo of the Year slot locked down pretty much from the day it dropped last year. A breathless and mesmeric mix of melodic hardcore and emo that tips its hat to bands like Agent, Praise, and early Title Fight, it’s the kind of release you can throw on all day—and I definitely have more than a few times.
So it’s safe to say I was excited when I caught them at a Broken Remains show in October and vocalist Logan mentioned an upcoming split EP. That release finally materialized a few weeks ago, pairing the band with NYC’s Square One, who deliver a suitably melodic and energetic counterpart.
With two new tracks added to their catalog, it felt like the perfect time to check back in with the band following last year’s intro feature. Logan was kind enough to share some insight on the release, how things have progressed since the demo, and what’s ahead.
You guys have gotten a lot of love since the demo dropped—how do you feel about the way things have gone over the past year?
I was honestly surprised and couldn’t be more stoked about how things have gone and are going. Right before we put it out, I had that feeling of, “Oh shit, no one is going to dig this,” which naturally comes with putting something personal out there.
We felt like this sound hadn’t really been around in a while. Not only that, but we’re trying to push it and create something new. There are moments that feel familiar, but then a riff or vocal melody shifts everything and changes the vibe completely.
At the end of the day, we were just making music for ourselves and our friends, and we’re grateful it’s resonated. Shout out to anyone who’s checked us out, put us on shows, let us crash on their floor, or helped us out along the way. It’s all love.
Any highlights so far?
So many. We’ve done a couple of tours, played United and Strong Fest, and shared bills with Cold World, The Flex, and Higher Power, to name a few. We also got to play in Vienna, where we met Compete, which led to booking a European tour together this summer.
Personally, seeing a younger generation find their way into hardcore through this band has been my biggest highlight.
How did the split with Square One come about?
Cheung and I came across Square One while touring the East Coast with Dynamite last year. We were into it and reached out. Around the same time, we were working with Sunday Drive Records, and they were working with Scheme, so it just made sense.
Their sound is everything I love about hardcore, and their tracks on the split are killer. Jonathan at Sunday Drive and Kyle from Scheme were also heavily involved—they’re design geniuses and clearly having fun with it.
What are the new tracks about?
Lyrically, both songs deal with being spat out of the institutions society builds and trying to make sense of those experiences—figuring out who you are and how to move forward without losing your mind.
Sonically, “Delirium” leans into hooks and riffs, while “Still as Sin” starts as more of an emo track before shifting into something you can actually move to. We’re always balancing those dynamics between emo and hardcore.
You’ve played some pretty heavy shows for a melodic band—how does that feel?
It’s fun as hell. It doesn’t feel weird at all. We’d be at those shows moshing anyway.
Growing up in Kentucky, mixed bills were the norm. You’d see Foundation and Set Your Goals on the same lineup. Title Fight was always playing with heavier bands. Those shows opened my ears to a lot of different influences.
At the end of the day, sometimes you just want to play with your friends, even if your band isn’t the heaviest on the bill.
What’s next for the band?
We’ve got another EP ready to go, so we’re excited to put that out. We’re heading to Europe in May with Compete, playing Outbreak in June, and just looking forward to everything that comes with it.
We’re easily pleased—cool shows, good hangs, maybe some swimming spots along the way.
Do you have any bucket list goals?
We’ve got a lot we still want to do. It honestly feels like we’re just getting started.
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The Turn of Phrase x Square One split EP is available now via Sunday Drive Records (transparent green vinyl) and Scheme (transparent pink vinyl).
Turn of Phrase on social media: Instagram
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