Electronic hardcore trailblazers I See Stars are set to unleash their long-awaited sixth studio album, The Wheel, this Friday, 12 September, via Sumerian Records. It marks their first full-length release since 2016’s Treehouse and promises to be the band’s most daring statement yet.
Produced by David Bendeth and mixed primarily by Zakk Cervini, with additional mixing from Tom Norris, The Wheel pushes the band’s reputation for fusing thunderous metalcore riffs with futuristic electronics into bold new territory. From pummelling breakdowns to soaring, euphoric hooks, the record aims to capture both the cerebral and the visceral, embodying the contradictions that have defined I See Stars for almost two decades.
Frontman Devin Oliver has described the record as a “time capsule,” reflecting seven years of evolution both musically and personally. The title came from a creative experiment: a literal wheel spun each day during writing sessions to decide which track—or sometimes even a random distraction—the band would tackle. What began as a quirky challenge became the framework for an album steeped in fate, chance, and reinvention.
The tracklist includes recent fan-favourite singles like “Eliminator,” “Drift,” “Anomaly,” “are we 3ven?” and “Split,” alongside brand-new cuts such as “D4MAGE DONE” and “Flood Light.” The 14-song set closes with “Curtain Call,” a fitting sign-off for an album built around reflection and renewal. A special highlight arrives with “Lost It,” featuring Palaye Royale.
As the band releases The Wheel, they will also return to Australian shores for the first time in 14 years. Their headline run this October will see them play six shows across the country:
Fri 17 Oct – The Triffid, Brisbane
Sat 18 Oct – Newcastle Hotel
Tue 21 Oct – Crowbar, Sydney
Wed 22 Oct – Max Watts, Melbourne
Thu 23 Oct – Unibar, Adelaide
Fri 24 Oct – Amplifier Bar, Perth
Tickets from Destroy All Lines
Formed in Warren, Michigan in 2006, I See Stars quickly made waves by blending post-hardcore with electronic flourishes at a time when genre purism still ruled the scene. Their debut, 3-D (2009), announced their arrival with a fresh energy that blurred the lines between synth-driven pop and crushing breakdowns.
Follow-up The End of the World Party (2011) leaned into party-ready hooks, while Digital Renegade (2012) and New Demons (2013) hardened their sound, fusing EDM and dubstep textures into aggressive metalcore frameworks. By the time of Treehouse (2016), the band had embraced a more polished and melodic direction, earning critical acclaim and expanding their fanbase.
Through lineup changes and experimentation, I See Stars remained anchored by the Oliver brothers—Devin on vocals and Andrew on keyboards/programming—alongside guitarist Brent Allen and bassist Jeff Valentine. Their willingness to evolve kept them ahead of the curve in a scene where trends often come and go.
Eight years is a long wait between albums, but for I See Stars, the gap has forged something vital. The Wheel isn’t just another chapter—it’s a reset, a reflection, and a reinvention. Its concept of randomness guiding creativity mirrors the unpredictability of both the band’s career and the genre they helped pioneer.
For fans, it offers a reunion with a sound that once defined a movement. For I See Stars, it’s a bold statement that they’re still pushing forward, ready to surprise, and just as committed to their hybrid of heavy and electronic as they were in 2006.
Australian audiences will experience this firsthand in October, when I See Stars spin back into view with The Wheel at the centre of their return.
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