Catbite - Doom Garden [EP]

While many may believe ska faded into obscurity after the so-called “Third Wave” lost its mainstream momentum around the turn of the millennium, a dedicated and passionate fanbase would beg to differ. With holdovers from every “wave” to date and a constantly evolving crop of new talent, the genre has maintained a strong underground presence, keeping the music and its message alive. Among the bands forging new ground in today’s ska scene, Catbite stands out as one of the best.

Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and formed in 2018, Catbite is comprised of lifelong ska lovers. For guitarist Tim Hildebrand, the band marked a return to his roots after his previous project moved away from the genre. “I wanted to play ska and have fun on stage again,” Hildebrand recalls. Rather than limiting themselves to a single style, Catbite set out to blend influences from every era of ska, as well as elements of punk, new wave, and contemporary pop rock. “We wanted to be a conglomeration of all the styles of music that we loved, with ska and original Jamaican music as the common denominator. Ska has always been the result of a giant mess of musical genres, so it only felt right to honor that notion and not limit ourselves to one particular sound.”

Within a year, Catbite recorded and released their self-titled debut album and were poised to become a self-proclaimed “touring machine”—until 2020 brought everything to a halt. Undeterred, the band pivoted to social media, consistently sharing content including live-streamed performances, covers of friends’ songs, and unique collaborations that could only happen in such unprecedented circumstances. As restrictions lifted, Catbite re-emerged, ready to pick up where they had left off, armed with a new album and a fine-tuned live show. Their sophomore effort, ‘Nice One,’ was released in 2021 to widespread acclaim—the vinyl edition sold out in presales—and the band played their first sold-out headline shows.

In the years that followed, Catbite fulfilled their touring ambitions, sharing stages with celebrated acts such as The Bouncing Souls, Hot Water Music, The Flatliners, Streetlight Manifesto, The Slackers, The Pietasters, The Gaslight Anthem, NOFX, Jeff Rosenstock, Less Than Jake, The Suicide Machines, Screaming Females, Mustard Plug, and 7 Seconds. They also took their show overseas, touring in Europe, the UK, and Japan, where they supported Hey Smith. In the fall of 2024, they toured alongside Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace and performed exclusive sets at Riot Fest and Supernova Ska Festival, covering Operation Ivy’s entire recorded discography with Grace on lead vocals. One of these sets was later released as a live recording on Bandcamp, raising over $25,000 for LA wildfire relief efforts.

Looking ahead to 2025, Catbite has once again returned to the studio—this time with Grammy-winning producer and engineer Sarah Tudzin (‘boygenius,’ illuminati hotties)—to record their upcoming EP, ‘Doom Garden,’ set for release on May 9, 2025, via Bad Time Records. The EP marks a significant step forward for the band, showcasing a songwriting depth honed from years on the road. Inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights,’ which they saw in person while touring the Netherlands, vocalist Brit Luna found herself deeply moved by the painting’s themes of good versus evil and human existence. “Experiencing this artwork really struck me,” Luna reflects. “The songs on ‘Doom Garden‘ are different from anything we’ve written before. I took a lot of time to self-reflect on my own human experience and how it has been affected by everything around me and within me. It’s really difficult to look inward and feel like you’re a terrible person. These songs helped me begin to heal parts of myself that I had long forgotten or pushed away. Being human is hard, but it’s not all bad.”

The EP also features collaborations that further elevate Catbite’s sound. Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump co-wrote and appears on a track, while Philadelphia’s own Zayna Youssef of Sweet Pill contributes guest vocals on another. With ‘Doom Garden,’ Catbite continues to prove themselves as both fresh voices within ska and a formidable act beyond the confines of any one genre.

On TOUR now, contact us with any requests!