Post-hardcore vets build something new
Held. began with Douglas Robinson and Sal Mignano, both formerly of The Sleeping, a New York post-hardcore band active in the 2000s. It later expanded into a full band with the addition of their old friend Josh Eppard of Coheed and Cambria. Based in New York, the group developed its early material through sessions at Applehead Recording in Woodstock, writing and refining songs before continuing work with producer Jon Markson (Drug Church, The Story So Far) and signing with MNRK Heavy.
Early collaborations include high-profile artists like Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance) and Graham Sayle (High Vis), marking an active start as the band moved quickly from early sessions into a fully realized project. Live shows are happening, including appearances on Coheed and Cambria’s upcoming “Neverender” festival, and their debut album, Grey, is due May 15, 2026. We caught up with the band ahead of the release.
ON THE LINE: HELD.
Thanks for doing this. To start, how did the band come together, and where are you all currently based?
Sal Mignano: So, the story of Held. goes like this: by 2021, The Sleeping had been broken up for about nine years. Doug and I started talking about writing some new songs and kicking off a new project. We basically said, “fuck it, let’s just book Applehead Studios in Woodstock, record some stuff, and see what happens.”
From there, we started thinking about guitar players and drummers. I remember we talked to our brother Thomas Erak from Fall of Troy, and he was all about it, so we thought we had that locked in. Then we moved on to drummers. I mentioned Josh (who we’ve known for close to 20 years) to Doug and how wild it would be to get him in the studio with us, but we knew how busy he was with Coheed. We also hadn’t seen him in years, but I gave it a shot and sent him a ridiculous Facebook message.
His reply was instant. We couldn’t believe it. We had an insane band lined up. A few days before the studio time, Thomas bailed—I don’t even remember why. At that point, Doug just said, “Fuck it… I’ll play guitar.” Honestly, it worked out perfectly. It fit like a glove.
We got in the room, started ripping, and recorded three songs. We loved the tracks, but didn’t do anything with them for about five or six months. We kept trying to get back into the studio, but schedules weren’t lining up, and we almost gave up on it.
Then Doug had a small birthday get-together at a bar in Jersey City, and our friend Michael Dubin was there. He mentioned he had started managing bands, so I told him about this project. When he got home, he asked me to send him the demos. He said he wanted to be part of it and got us into a different studio called The Animal Farm, where he connected us with Jon Markson.
Once we recorded a few songs with him, we started shopping them around. MNRK Heavy was one of the first labels to show interest. We didn’t know much about the label at first, but we really connected with them and liked what they were doing. From there, everything started falling into place.
What inspired the name Held.?
Sal Mignano: Doug and I went back and forth on a bunch of names before we got into the studio for the first time. We had some good ones, but none of them really fit the project. We were looking for something simple and bold. At one point, I mentioned “Held.” and Doug liked it too, so we just started calling the project that. It stuck pretty quickly. One day I’ll share where it actually came from, but I don’t think the world is ready for that yet. Haha.
Ha! Well, now we really want to know. We’ll follow up, ha.
I want Held. to be one of those bands that leaves their mark in a way that pioneers a sound while doing it all organically, in a series of moments. - Douglas Robinson.
You came out of the gate swinging, having Frank Iero on “New You Anthem.” How did that come together, and how has the response been?
Douglas Robinson: Thank you. We are very proud of that track. It's one of the first three tracks we sent to the label, which got us signed. I believe Frank was not on the track yet when we had shopped it.
I grew up in the same New Jersey scene as Frank. I used to watch his first band, Pencey Prep. I saw My Chem's first show. Gerard designed my first band's first T-shirt, etc. We were just always in the same orbit. We were never super close or anything, but he was always such a nice person.
Our manager, Michael Dubin, is close with Frank, and when we were in the process of recording this, Dubin reached out to him and asked him to be on the track. We sent him the skeleton of the track, and he was into it. A few days later, we had Frank’s vocal takes.
Frank is an amazing guitar player, but I also love his vocals. Frank and I have both separately made records with the legendary Ross Robinson (At the Drive-In, Korn, Slipknot, Glassjaw), and I know Ross doesn’t record with just anyone. You go to Ross if you are a musician with true heart and integrity, and that’s something that really shines in Frank’s voice.
Frank was always one of the nicest people I came across in my early years, and he is still the exact same person to this day. Having him on the track really meant a lot to me.
We were both kids from New Jersey, believing in something with our whole hearts, and to be on a track together all these years later feels very full circle for me.
What, if anything, carried over into Held. from your other projects — and what did you intentionally leave behind?
Josh Eppard: Great question. I think with any project, I try to bring the plethora of lessons and things I’ve picked up along the way. Beyond just experience, there’s a universe in the minutiae and the small details.
At this stage, there’s a comfort in being myself—as a player and as a bandmate, as a musical force and entity. I like myself. I like Held. and what we represent. That’s very different from when I was a young kid crippled with doubt. I’d like to think that after all these years, I have more to offer than ever.
What I intentionally leave behind—or at least try to—is the same shit I was battling at 20 years old, being thrust into a world of music that stretched far beyond the walls of my hometown. The same things we all battle: self-doubt, anxiety… you know, human stuff.
Was there a specific artist, song, or moment that inspired the writing for Grey?
Josh Eppard: Again, I think wherever I go, I bring with me… well, all of it. All the years of touring and making records. I knew with Held. there was going to be an emphasis on doing what I want to do.
I wanted it to be dark, have energy, feel like it matters among the clouded tapestry—and, in my opinion, it does. There’s not one specific thing that inspired Grey. Our record is the byproduct of a million things. A life’s worth.
You’ve been making music for a long time — when did Held. start to feel like its own thing?
Josh Eppard: Another great question. It came into its own as we made the album with Jon. Before that, it felt like something worth exploring.
I’d always wondered about doing something else, but the things that came up didn’t interest me in the same way this did. In the early going, it was interesting, but nobody knew what it was. I stepped in without any expectations, but I knew I wanted to explore playing with Doug and Sal. The result speaks for itself, in my opinion.
“Knifepoint” is fantastic. How did you link with Graham from High Vis?
Sal Mignano: Thank you, we love how the song came out. I think the musicianship and the hooks are what really make it stand out. What happened was the label started talking about their UK branch and how they wanted to utilize that side more. So we thought it would be cool to have a UK guest on the track. We started throwing around some of our favorite UK bands, and High Vis was one of them. They’re so unique, energetic, and have really cool melodic choices. We all genuinely love the band. It was really exciting when Graham said yes. What he did on the song is amazing. It brings such a cool vibe and a different kind of attitude to the track. I love that.
It feels like things moved quickly right out of the gate — did it feel that way from the inside?
Sal Mignano: It’s amazing that people are paying attention, and that’s really all we want. We’ve been putting in the work and really want this to be the best it can be. This all started back in 2021, so from then until now it’s been a while. But after officially announcing it and bringing it public, it feels like such a great start. We have some shows booked and other cool things happening now, but this is only the beginning. It definitely feels like great things are on the way.
What does the next 12 months look like for Held. if everything goes right?
Douglas Robinson: We’re honestly in the beginning stages of figuring everything out now. It’s very interesting because we’re all completely experienced musicians... but this is weirdly new territory for us. We’ve all helped build our existing bands out of nothing, but we’re now having to approach everything as if it were our first band ever. People care about the names attached to the band, but it didn’t open any extra doors that most people might think. To most people, this band isn’t necessarily tangible yet. We live in a world now where people are a bit more reserved until they can really hold onto what they love. We currently only exist on a couple of social media platforms, and those are still in the early stages. Our first show hasn’t even (it might have by the time you read this) happened yet. There’s an excitement to that. We’re planning extensively but also seeing everything bloom in the moment.
What would be a perfect bill for a Held. tour?
Douglas Robinson: This is way too difficult of a question for me. I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I gave this serious thought. I want to play with every band that has ever shaped me as a person, even if they aren’t active anymore. I would also pick eras of those bands/artists... when their fire and passion hung on their sleeves like badges of honor. Whoever we share stages with, I just want to be inspired every night. I want to tour with artists that push boundaries and inspire. I don’t care about genre.
Does Long Island show up in your songwriting in a tangible way?
Sal Mignano: Yeah, I think everyone’s surroundings influence their music and art. Creating is really about pulling a little bit from everywhere. I used to own a music venue on Long Island, and the thing is, we have a crazy amount of amazing bands here, both new and old. It would be impossible not to be influenced by that environment.
You’ve been part of the hardcore and post-hardcore scene for many years and helped build it — what’s it been like seeing the current wave of hardcore explode?
Sal Mignano: I’ve spent a long time in this scene, and it’s definitely had its ups and downs, but I feel like now it’s stronger than ever. People want real music that’s raw and heartfelt. I see a lot of younger kids listening to and caring about bands from decades ago. I think fans are really starting to recognize and care about what feels real versus what doesn’t. We just have to be careful with this AI wave that’s coming, and it’s important that we protect our art.
Do you think about Held. as telling a larger story, or is it more about capturing moments as they happen?
Douglas Robinson: If you mean our own personal story, then I think it’s a mixture of both. I want Held. to be one of those bands that leaves their mark in a way that pioneers a sound while doing it all organically, in a series of moments.
This band is a 3-piece playing music that most 3-piece bands don’t play. I don’t mean that in terms of talent—I mean that a lot of 3-piece bands take inspiration from the 3-piece world, which often leans more punk or alternative. Held. didn’t really grasp our sound until after the recording process because we had only played together once before going into the studio.
Now that we’ve been rehearsing like crazy, the more we play these songs, the more we realize in the moment that we don’t sound like most 3-pieces. Our collective inspiration comes from bands that explore depth and texture.
My guitar playing is heavily inspired by bands like Tool, Deftones, At the Drive-In, The Cure, A Perfect Circle, Hum, Bloc Party, Pretty Girls Make Graves, ISIS, Cult of Luna, Maserati, Helmet, These Arms Are Snakes, Failure, etc. The list goes on. But if you look at these bands—even if they only have one guitarist—they’re not necessarily approaching it like a single guitarist. They’re trying to fill space and create soundscapes.
I think when this record comes out, and when people start seeing this live, it’ll make more sense. Everyone in our circle who hears this record says, “How the fuck are you guys a 3-piece playing this?” That’s a really cool thing to hear, and it means a lot to me.
We didn’t track multiple guitar parts except for two or three brief moments, which I made sure to translate in a way I can play live. I remember years ago my friend and old bandmate Nick DePirro from Night Verses telling me that Adam Jones from Tool makes it a point to never cheat on guitar during recording sessions. That always stuck with me.
We live in a world where you can record a record in your room and add endless amounts of guitars. I didn’t want that. I wanted to challenge myself. This record is one guitar, bass, and drums. Everyone knows how to fill the space, and everyone comes at these songs with energy, passion, fury, groove, and vibe. I am beyond excited for people to hear it.
What’s something you’ve seen, read, or heard recently that’s stayed with you?
Josh Eppard: I have this saying: “You don’t pick what sticks.” At least for me, I can try like hell to remember something, but it floats away… meanwhile, I can tell you who played Jason Voorhees in every Friday the 13th movie.
I usually have a never-ending grab bag of quotes and things people said that landed, but I’m coming up blank. Actually, a peer said to me the other day about being in a band, “Nobody can do it for you. They can push you and handle the business side, but it’s up to you to be great.” I liked that.
In a world that can feel increasingly artificial, what’s been feeling real to you?
Josh Eppard: I’ve found a great deal of inspiration in the talent around me here in New York. Songs by artists like Jack Manley or Travis Stever’s work with Soren Song. There’s something innocent and real about finding art that lands before it’s been homogenized and served up in 30-second snippets on TikTok.
I’ve always known some of the most prolific writers and talents just never got their shot, but what numbers you do and how “big” you are means less than nothing to me the older I get. I want to be moved. I want my hair to stand up. That can happen anywhere.
Hey—you reading this: go see a fucking band you’ve never heard of. It can change you.
Facts!
What’s the biggest challenge you’re navigating right now — and what’s helping you push through it?
Douglas Robinson: I am always putting a ton of pressure on myself. Always. When I believe in something so much, I don’t sleep, I barely eat, I don’t go out, I don’t socialize. I want the end goal so bad I can see it right in front of me, and I just visualize until I can’t think straight.
Even if that goal is endless, I see it constantly. I love being in a band, and I love working my absolute hardest to help build it, but I am always very tough on myself. It causes a lot of mental instability.
Oddly enough, the one thing that regulates that instability is making music. So it’s a double-edged sword.
Lastly, what’s the one lyric from Grey that best captures where you’re at right now?
Josh Eppard: I’m notorious for misunderstanding lyrics. I like Doug’s lyrics—a lot. But if I have this wrong, sorry Doug:
“There’s blood in our mouth, decay and sand
There’s blood in our mouth destroying me
There’s blood in our mouth, decay and sand
Now it’s too late to talk about who’s too distressed to say I’m sorry”
See, I don’t care if that’s wrong—I’m pretty sure it is. “Broken Spacesuit” is one of the very best things I’ve ever been a part of, and in my view, this is Held. at its best.
We are only beginning to tip the scale of possibility. When this song came together, I felt the feeling I’ve dedicated my life to searching for. I’ve been lucky enough to stand in its glow a few times, and for that I’m eternally grateful.
The feeling of knowing something speaks loudly to you—and for you. The feeling of being part of something important.
That is “Broken Spacesuit (Decay and Sand).
Amazing. Thank you!
Follow Held. on IG at @heldsounds
Photo credit: @nickkarpphotos | Live photos: @katerussellftw, @vangephoto, @brandongmezphoto
