The Arising Empire release pushes the band further beyond traditional metal boundaries while new track “Last Time” leans into heartbreak, regret and self-sabotage.
Banks Arcade have released their latest album, SECOND PLACE SUPERSTAR, through Arising Empire, continuing the band’s blend of modern heavy music with electronic and hip-hop influences.
The record builds on the stylistic flexibility that has become central to Banks Arcade’s identity, moving between heavy guitar-driven sections, melodic hooks and electronic production rather than remaining fixed within a single genre. That contrast is also reflected in “Last Time,” one of the tracks accompanying the album cycle and a more vulnerable entry in the band’s catalog.
Where some of Banks Arcade’s material emphasizes aggression and rhythmic impact, “Last Time” centers on the deterioration of a relationship and the emotional conflict that comes with recognizing destructive patterns while still wanting another chance.
The song examines love, regret and self-sabotage through lyrics focused on trying to repair something already close to breaking. Its imagery places devotion alongside emotional damage, creating a tension between the desire to change and the fear that change may come too late.
That balance between heaviness and vulnerability runs throughout SECOND PLACE SUPERSTAR. Rather than approaching metal, electronic music and hip-hop as separate influences, Banks Arcade use those elements as parts of the same broader sound. The result is an album designed around contrast, shifting between harsher passages and more melodic or atmospheric moments without treating any one style as the band’s permanent destination.
That approach also reflects the group’s broader history. Banks Arcade emerged from New Zealand through the creative partnership of longtime friends whose backgrounds include music education and professional MMA competition. Relocation and constant change became part of the band’s early development, helping shape an identity centered more on evolution than adherence to one established scene.
In the years since, Banks Arcade have expanded their reach beyond New Zealand and Australia, developing an international audience through touring and festival appearances. The band has performed at Download Festival and shared stages with acts including The Plot In You, Northlane and Thornhill, while also building its own headline following across the Southern Hemisphere.
SECOND PLACE SUPERSTAR continues that progression by widening the band’s musical palette rather than narrowing it. The album retains the physical weight associated with modern metal while placing greater emphasis on melody, electronic production and emotionally exposed songwriting.
For listeners already familiar with Banks Arcade, the album reinforces the band’s willingness to move between different corners of alternative and heavy music. For newer listeners, it serves as a broad introduction to a group that has consistently treated genre as a foundation rather than a boundary.
Following the album’s release, Banks Arcade’s touring schedule continues into October, including several Australian dates alongside From Ashes To New. The band is also scheduled to appear at Hellbound 2027 in Sydney in January.
Album Information
Artist: Banks Arcade
Album: SECOND PLACE SUPERSTAR
Label: Arising Empire
Status: Available now
Tour Dates
10/9 — Marrickville, AUS — From Ashes To New
10/11 — Melbourne, AUS — From Ashes To New
10/13 — Adelaide, AUS — From Ashes To New
10/15 — Newstead, AUS — From Ashes To New
1/17 — Sydney, AUS — Hellbound 2027
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