When you strip everything else away, we rely on our animal instincts to survive. In the face of danger, we either flee or fight without hesitation. No matter how many perceived differences exist between us, we breathe the same air, drink the same water, and eat the same way to subsist. Dragged Under naturally harness this primal power in their hard-hitting hybrid of punk, rock, metal, and hardcore. Choosing to progress, the Seattle quintet—Tony Cappocchi [vocals], Ryan Bruce [guitar], Sean Rosario [guitar], Hans Hessburg [bass], and Kalen Anderson [drums]—sharpen their claws, teeth, and style on their second full-length album, Upright Animals [Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group].

“There’s obviously a media divide, there’s a class divide, and there’s a racial divide in this country,” observes Tony. “In many ways, we use our animal instincts to think when it’s convenient for us instead of our evolutionary abilities. Trying to keep up with all of the information these days is like drinking from a firehose. So, our animal tendencies still shine through. A lot of enlightenment still needs to happen before we can consider ourselves anything other than animals walking around on their hindlegs. That’s what the album is about.”

With animalistic energy, Dragged Under charged out of the gate in 2020 on their debut The World Is In Your Way. The album generated streams in the tens of millions and earned widespread critical acclaim. Beyond plugs from Loudwire, New Noise Magazine, and more, KERRANG! hailed it as “nine tracks of the edgiest, most in-your-face punk in recent memory – loaded with underdog appetite and energy,” and Alternative Press named it one of the “20 Debut Albums That Took Metalcore to the Next Level in 2020.” Along the way, they toured alongside everyone from The Used to Beartooth. During 2021, they recorded what would become Upright Animals with frequent collaborator Hiram Hernandez [Jared Dines, Craig Owens] in Los Angeles and Matt Good [Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria] in Phoenix.