Manchester’s rising firestarters deliver a short, sharp indie detonation
There’s something brewing up north right now — and The Falls are right in the thick of it.
‘Open Fire’ isn’t just another indie single; it’s a statement. Open Fire’, produced mixed and mastered by Luke Owens (SHADE, Montello, The Sprats), feels like the natural next step — a sub-three-minute powder keg of energy that perfectly captures where the band are right now. No filler, no frills — just pure, unfiltered energy that hits like a spark to petrol.
The Falls came crashing into the indie scene with their debut EP Viva La Falls in September 2025, quickly amassing over 100,000 streams and earning early praise from Radio X’s John Kennedy. Since then, the momentum has only intensified — a huge hometown headline at Manchester Academy in February 2026, and a November headline at Gullivers selling out in under 24 hours, forcing the addition of a second, more intimate date at The Castle Hotel.
Sonically, it’s relentless. From the first note, you’re thrown straight into the chaos. Explosive drums drive the track forward, while frenetic guitars and melodic basslines collide to create a restless urgency that refuses to sit still. It’s tight, it’s punchy, and it feels alive — the kind of track that’s built for packed rooms and limbs flying.
Harrison Sharp’s vocal cuts through it all with urgency, delivering lyrics that tap into that overwhelming sense of losing control — using vivid, almost confrontational imagery to mirror the pressure and disorder the band are channelling. There’s tension in every line, a sense that things could unravel at any moment — and that’s exactly what makes it so gripping.
Lyrically, ‘Open Fire’ leans into metaphor, using imagery of being “under attack” to capture that overwhelming pressure when everything feels like it’s closing in. It’s sharp, relatable songwriting wrapped in adrenaline.
“We’ve been itching to record Open Fire for a little while as it’s a definite fan favourite live. It’s short, sharp, super catchy and encapsulates our current sound perfectly. The song carries a fiery energy that mirrors the sense of everything falling apart, where control feels just out of reach. We used ‘Open Fire’ as a metaphor describing being ‘shot at’ and to translate that emotion into something physical, symbolising danger, disorder, and the importance of recognising when to pause, step back and to look after ourselves.”
Harrison Sharp on the creation of Open Fire
You can hear flashes of The Courteeners’ swagger, The Kooks’ bounce, and Jake Bugg’s grit — but this isn’t nostalgia. The Falls are taking those influences and injecting them with a real sense of immediacy, carving out a sound that feels current, urgent, and built for the now.
And that’s what makes ‘Open Fire’ land so hard — it captures a band in motion. No hesitation, no second-guessing — just instinct, energy, and intent.
No filler. No overthinking. Just a band absolutely going for it.
A rapid-fire indie anthem — ‘Open Fire’ captures The Falls in full flight, urgent, electric and kicking the door down
Open Fire is released on Friday 10th April and can be pre-saved here.
Open Fire has been played on The Rise Of The Indie Artists for two consecutive weeks ahead of its release. Listen to the latest show here.
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