Frightful Places Returns With A Brand New Emo Anthem “Spirits Are Up!”

After a prolonged hiatus from music, Kevin Tiernan reignited his passion for songwriting, leading to the birth of Frightful Places, a New Haven, Connecticut-based indie-emo  project. Today, Frightful Places’ “Spirits Are Up!” hits digital streaming platforms.

Chorus.fm says Frightful Places’ ‘Spirits Are Up!’ is “an optimistic anthem that blends the dreamy essence of shoegaze with the vibrant energy of The Cure and Turnover. Produced by Chris Teti (The World Is A Beautiful Place…), this track will make you feel sun-soaked, even as you start to crave fall.”

Deeply influenced by the raw, cathartic lyrical emotion of bands like Movements, Tiernan began independently demoing songs, primarily crafted within a personal “bubble.” This creative solitude, often inspired by nature and written on quiet hiking trails around Connecticut, infused the forthcoming Frightful Places EP with a profoundly personal and introspective core.

To bring these deeply felt compositions to life, Tiernan enlisted the expertise of Chris Teti at Silver Bullet Studios. Teti, renowned for his work with emotive mainstays in the emo genre, was the ideal collaborator. Aided by Antonio Mastroiannion —a close friend and former bandmate— on drums, Tiernan meticulously recorded guitars, bass, and vocals across the five-song EP. The sound of Frightful Places is heavily inspired by the energetic guitar work

of Thrice, the expansive atmospheres of Foxing and Minus the Bear, and the anthemic, driving songs of Citizen. Tiernan’s musical journey also includes his time as a member of Mighty Tortuga, a band notably produced by Fred Mascherino (Taking Back Sunday, Say Anything, The Color Fred).This experience proved invaluable and sharpened his production skills. Moving forward,

Tiernan is already expanding Frightful Places into new sonic territory, returning to Silver Bullet to track fresh material. Listeners can anticipate new music that blends the atmospheric vibes of Turnover with the compelling, driving guitars reminiscent of Boston Manor, signaling an exciting evolution for the project. As a band name, Frightful Places is about embracing the things that frighten you, something that still rings true for Tiernan.