Retrograde - The Upcoming Noisegate Song Worth the Hype
Interview ★ Annsley Jennings ★ @annsleymedia ★ 3 Minutes
A band that needs no introduction, Noisegate of Houston is about to drop their very first single of the year titled Retrograde. Retrograde follows their 2025 EP Band of Skulls and it is a promising vow of things to come.
Just last year, we sat down with them to cover the basics in an interview but this time around, they’ve added a fifth member: Ronan. Thus, we really focused on the new song and how each integral member plays a role in the project.
Click here to read our interview from 2025. Continue reading for this year’s feature.
Noisegate July 2025
You are about to release a new song, Retrograde. Can you go into detail about the process it took to create the song?
Reese: I wrote the intro riff about 4-5 years ago. I presented it to the guys in hopes that I could finally use it. Mateo created the verse and chorus for the rest of the song.
What is the story behind the song’s title?
Lincoln: I wrote the song about someone that I was previously in a relationship with. I decided to end that relationship because it was pretty toxic and some of the stuff she said to me was quite hurtful. I know now that she was unloading her trauma onto me. I wanted to be there for her but I was unwilling to do it at the expense of myself.
What music have you had on repeat lately?
Reese: The Blue Stones and The Layaways
Mateo: Lots of Mastadon and Black Sabbath
Lincoln: I’ve been listening to a lot of this band called Wilt
Leo: Nazareth by The Shroons and Psychedelic Maggot Engine’s new EP
note from the editor: check out our interview with The Shroons here.Ronan: Alive 2007 by Daft Punk and lots of Ween
Who are some of the band’s biggest musical inspirations? Are there any you didn’t mention last time or any that some would be shocked to hear?
Reese: Deftones and Foo Fighters
Mateo: Black Sabbath
Lincoln: Chris Cornell and Avenged Sevenfold
Leo: Team Sleep and Fiddlehead
Ronan: Ween
What is your opinion on rock music in 2026? Do you think it will ever fully emerge back into the mainstream or will it remain a hidden gem?
I don’t think rock will ever be mainstream again. It’ll be a decently popular subculture, but you won’t see mainstream media ever covering or gawking at every inch of a rockstar’s antics/life anymore. There will always be fans, though.
What is your typical attitude going into shows?
Collectively: We honestly have no idea.
How were you first introduced to rock music?
Reese: My dad introduced me to rock with Foo Fighters
Mateo: When I was younger, my dad would try to put me onto rock but I would reject it because I thought it was lame. However, when my dad went to sleep I would go to his room and steal his iPod so I could listen to The Rolling Stones and Deep Purple
Lincoln: I was first introduced when I was 4. My cousin was listening to Green Day and I was drawn in hard.
Leo: I was definitely introduced by my mom showing me classic 90s alternative rock such as Nirvana, Oasis, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Ronan: My parents introduced me to rock with alot of classic and 90s being played while I was around.
Local scenes are one of the most important things to a small band’s career. What are your thoughts and feelings about the Houston rock scene?
We all love the scene we play in. Most of the bands we play with around Houston we are also really great friends with. We love the music that they come out with and we’re all supportive of each other in the sense that we listen to each other’s music and we attend one another’s shows.
