Hamilton-based punk rock trio The Penske File return with “Lions,” the first single from their upcoming album Reprieve, out October 3rd, 2025 via Stomp Records. Fierce, hopeful, and charged with the energy of youth, the track is a call to keep life on track while celebrating the beauty in change.

Written by drummer and vocalist Alexander Standen on a quiet Sunday morning, the song captures a reflective moment turned anthem. “There’s a line near the end: ‘we were titans, we were thorns, now we wait for babies born.’ I wrote this before any of our friends had kids but I could feel it coming. Now, most of them – and some of us – do. It shows how much can change in a few short years and there’s a lot of beauty in that,” Standen explains.

The band recorded the track with a “first instinct wins” type of mentality, laying down all the main parts live in a room together to maintain the urgency and excitement of a newly written song. Longtime friend and producer Adam Michael, who engineered and produced the record, championed “Lions” as the ideal lead single.

• What can you share with readers about your new project?

Our new full length album Reprieve will be available on October 3rd. It’s our fifth full length record. And although we released “Half Glow” in 2023 and the “Acid Rain EP” in 2024, this is really the first new music we’ve written since pre Covid, as all of the songs off those releases were mostly finished by 2020. We are all feeling very proud of it and excited to share with whoever cares to take it in! 

• How does this release compare with your other projects you had in the past?

It has elements of what I love about all of our records. I don’t know, from the inside that’s kind of a hard question to answer. It’s not really up to me how it compares. I guess, I think it spans a greater sonic landscape than our last few records. We made a conscious effort to branch out and create different types of songs on this one 

• What about this single makes you most proud?

Alex wrote this one, he’s such an incredible writer, and I’m honestly just proud of him for making such great songs. I like his songs a lot, I feel like I can really be a fan of Alex’s songs whereas with my own it’s sometimes harder to detach and enjoy them as such. 

• Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?

Honestly, the goal in creation is basically the same as it’s always been: do our very best to create a great album that we love and are proud of – and to make something that connects with others the way our favourite albums connect with us. 

• What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?

In short, life. Being alive inspires me to create. For myself, I feel like the compulsion to be creative is a side effect of existence. It gives context, meaning and purpose to the world as I see it. I enjoy writing songs, a lot, if one day I stopped enjoying that, I would probably start creating in some other expressive way.

• If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.

Top of my head … I don’t know … feels crazy not to say Joe Strummer. I feel like he embodies the spirit of punk rock in a very positive way .. he’s also a great singer, songwriter and performer … obviously. 

• What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?

Last song I listened to was hard times by Gillian Welch. Favourite band of all time is probably The Flatliners.

• Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?

Instagram probably