With their latest release, First Stage Separation, University Drive prove they’re not just a band to watch, they’re a band that’s gonna make you feel what they’re serving up. Dropped on May 2nd, 2025, the Scranton, Pennsylvania rockers’ six-song EP is a thunderous ride, clocking in at just under half an hour. The record is a perfect storm of the band’s collective energy, with every member lending their hand to the songwriting and arrangements, creating a sound that’ll have you shook by the record’s end.

Recorded at Chicago’s Electrical Audio with engineer Greg Norman, the EP captures that elusive grit that made the studio a holy ground for rock outsiders. The sound is alive with texture. Featuring some booming drums that hit like gut punches, bass lines that rumble like aftershocks, and guitars that howl, shimmer, and occasionally haunt like ghosts lingering in the mix. At the center of it all, frontman Ed Cuozzo’s vocals act like a siren call, vulnerable in equal measure, carrying the emotional weight that defines University Drive’s identity.

The EP doesn’t shy away from its influences though. You’ll take away the feeling of Nirvana’s serrated edges, PJ Harvey’s emotional gravity, and The Pixies’ dynamism, but it never collapses under the weight of something recycled. Instead, First Stage Separation refracts those inspirations into something entirely its own. It’s a record that feels simultaneously familiar and fresh, tethered to alternative rock’s golden age while pushing forward with unrelenting urgency.

In our conversation with Cuozzo (above), he reflected on the making of the EP and the importance of recording as a fully realized band rather than a solo endeavor. That evolution is palpable here. University Drive’s growth from a one-man project into a collaborative force comes alive in every arrangement, every shift in energy. The band plays like a unit that trusts each other’s instincts, able to pivot from roaring catharsis to quiet introspection without missing a beat.

The diversity of sound across these six songs makes the EP feel expansive, a proper introduction to their world. Whether it’s the explosive energy, the subtle atmospheric layers, or the sheer emotional honesty, every track feels like a piece of a larger whole. They’ve managed to create that singular experience when you give it a spin from start to finish.

It’s the sound of a band stepping fully into themselves, armed with passion, precision, and an unshakable vision. Do yourselves the biggest favor and make sure to enjoy our conversation, but also to listen to the record loud and of course to follow along for more!

Listen to "First Stage Separation"

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University Drive launch into orbit with massive EP, "First Stage Separation" - Interview