The Hamburg heavy band turns to themes of guilt, faith and self-destruction on the final preview of its upcoming sophomore album.

German heavy band Half Me have released “King,” the final single from their upcoming album Dogma, which is scheduled to arrive October 23 through Arising Empire.

The track provides the last advance look at the record before its release and finds the Hamburg band leaning heavily into hardcore aggression while exploring a darker lyrical conflict built around guilt, betrayal, faith and destructive behavior.

“King” pairs dense riffs and sustained intensity with lyrics that draw from biblical language and imagery. References including “every knee will bend” and “every tongue will confess” are placed within a narrative where ideas of judgment, devotion and punishment become intertwined with the narrator’s own internal struggle.

Rather than presenting its central figure from a position of straightforward strength, the song moves between defiance and vulnerability. References to retaliation — including “eye for an eye” and “piece by piece, tooth by tooth” — reinforce a cycle of escalating destruction, while the request to be taken “back to light” introduces a contrasting desire to escape it.

That tension gives “King” a different purpose than simply functioning as another heavy track ahead of Dogma. Its aggression serves the underlying conflict of someone confronting the consequences of destructive choices while struggling against the forces that continue pulling them toward the same outcome.

The single arrives as Half Me prepare to follow their debut album, SOMA, with their second full-length release.

SOMA established the band’s approach through a combination of metalcore, hardcore, nu-metal and electronic elements. With Dogma, Half Me have continued introducing their next phase through a series of singles, culminating with “King” as the final track to be released before the complete album becomes available in October.

The timing also places the band’s album campaign alongside a run of U.S. performances. Half Me are scheduled to begin their American Crusade 2026 dates on October 1 at House of Independents in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

The 12-date itinerary will continue through the Northeast and Midwest before moving south, including Florida stops in Jacksonville and Tampa. The run concludes October 17 at Hangar 1819 in Greensboro, North Carolina, less than a week before Dogma is released.

For listeners following Half Me’s progression from SOMA, “King” serves as the final standalone piece of the Dogmarollout before the focus shifts to the album as a whole.

Album Information

Artist: Half Me
Album: Dogma
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Label: Arising Empire
Final Pre-Release Single: “King”

Pre-Order Information

Pre-orders for Dogma are currently available ahead of the album’s October 23 release.

Tour Dates

American Crusade 2026

10/1 — Asbury Park, NJ, USA — House of Independents
10/2 — Allentown, PA, USA — Archer Music Hall
10/3 — Norwalk, CT, USA — District Music Hall
10/4 — Worcester, MA, USA — Palladium
10/6 — Grand Rapids, MI, USA — Elevation
10/7 — Milwaukee, WI, USA — The Rave
10/9 — Minneapolis, MN, USA — Varsity Theater
10/10 — Kansas City, MO, USA — The Truman
10/13 — Jacksonville, FL, USA — Alhambra
10/14 — Tampa, FL, USA — The Orpheum
10/16 — Greenville, SC, USA — The Radio Room
10/17 — Greensboro, NC, USA — Hangar 1819

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