Relentless Pursuit may just be one of the busiest artists of 2026 thus far. The new single, "In Reverence," released less than a week after the New Year's Day EP, The Aftermath, and now Matthew Konradt is back with the Valentine's Day single, "Dedication." Don't be fooled, though; this is no love song! "Dedication" is quite the opposite: Rather than an expression of love for another, this song is an expression of hatred for oneself. The biting, pessimistic lyrics dig deep, packing a hefty punch within a relatively short number of words, and it results in my favorite lyrics I've personally heard from Relentless Pursuit. The brutal honesty on display is admirable, and the song eventually bleeds into a prayer: "I need Your strength to move onward toward the distant light / I would love nothing more than to ascend from my own personal hell." Musically, the track is also one of Konradt's finest offerings to date. Thrash-flavored metalcore surges with heavy riffage for three minutes straight, before segueing into a brief but pleasant string and piano outro. Few Relentless Pursuit songs have ever remained so laser-focused on Konradt's strengths. It's not perfect -- there are still a few timing issues with the vocals and lead guitars, plus the percussion and string programming doesn't always sound natural -- but if this song is an indication of what Relentless Pursuit has in store, then 2026 is going to be the band's best year yet.

- Review date: 1/30/26, written by Chase Tremaine of Jesusfreakhideout.com

 

 Record Label: None
 Album length: 1 track: 3 minutes, 29 seconds
 Street Date: February 14, 2026
 Buy It: Bandcamp

1. Dedication (3:29)