San Francisco post-punk outfit Octavian Winters presents their new single ‘Hermine’, an invigorating song that channels the band’s edgier energy. Erupting with a wall of sound from the first notes, this is the first song written for their debut album, anticipated for early 2026 via Stratis Capta Records.

Formed in 2022, Octavian Winters is guitarist Stephan Salit (Thrill of The Pull), drummer Randy Gzebb (Thrill of The Pull, Love Club), bassist Jay Denton and Ria Aursjoen (AURSJOEN) on vocals and keyboards. Fusing a visceral and ethereal sound, they create haunting textures and channel half-remembered stories from an indifferent metropolis, shadows and lunar energy looming over a concrete maze.

Now critically acclaimed, the band gained a solid reputation with their 2023 debut EP The Line or Curve, and 2024’s Nebula / Velveteen collaboration with Mark Pistel (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto), their tightly crafted songs running the gamut from the ethereal to the dark and driving. This new offering, ‘Hermine’, visits those harder edges.

“’Hermine’ was wonderful to write and sing because it has a real no-holds-barred energy about it. I was also able to revisit some of my metal roots, in terms of vocal delivery, which was both fun and cathartic,” says vocalist Ria Aursjoen. “The lyrics reference the novel Steppenwolf by Hesse, and explore the nature of the fragmented psyche and passionately urges the freedom of self acceptance.”

Randy Gzebb says, “It feels like the song is moving forward with unstoppable momentum. This is one of my favorite songs to play live”. Stephan Salit adds, “I started out writing this as an homage to Geordie Walker (R. I. P. )  but it took on a life of its own and well, here we are”.