Dinosaur Pile-Up Roar Back with Sick Of Being Down: A Raw Anthem of Resilience

Leeds alt-rock titans Dinosaur Pile-Up are back with a vengeance, unleashing their blistering new single Sick Of Being Down on June 19, 2025, a gut-punch from their forthcoming album I’ve Felt Better, set to drop August 22 via Mascot Records. After a six-year hiatus marked by frontman Matt Bigland’s battle with ulcerative colitis, this track is a grunge-fueled cry of empowerment, channeling his darkest days into a three-minute garage-punk explosion. With a farewell show at Sheffield’s iconic Leadmill on June 24, a UK headline tour in September, and a massive US run with A Day To Remember and Yellowcard in October-November, Dinosaur Pile-Up are proving they’re stronger than ever. This is their story of survival—and it’s one hell of a comeback.

Sick Of Being Down: A Post-Traumatic Punk Anthem

Sick Of Being Down is Dinosaur Pile-Up at their rawest, a sonic middle finger to despair. As Matt Bigland explains, it’s “a post-traumatic existential breakdown articulated as a 3-minute garage punk rock song.” Written during his struggle to readjust after a life-threatening hospitalization for ulcerative colitis, the track captures the mental turmoil of redefining his identity. “I felt conflicted about myself—what I was, what I wasn’t,” Bigland told Loudwire. “I was experimenting with weed to balance my mental state, wondering if I was in a cycle: I’m sick of being down when I’m high, ‘cos I’m high when I’m sick of being down.”

The lyric video, streaming on YouTube, is a surreal collage of vintage movie clips featuring famous faces, creating a “cool and kinda weird” vibe that mirrors the song’s chaotic energy. “The narrative of the song and the footage aren’t linked, but they create something new when forced together,” Bigland shared with Distorted Sound Magazine. Fans on X, like @ventsmagazine, hailed it as a “post-traumatic existential breakdown” that hits hard, cementing its status as a 2025 rock anthem.

I’ve Felt Better: A Triumph Over Adversity

Set for release on August 22, 2025, via Mascot Records, I’ve Felt Better is Dinosaur Pile-Up’s fifth album and their most powerful yet. The 12-track record, their first since 2019’s Celebrity Mansions, is a defiant testament to resilience, born from Bigland’s health crisis and personal growth. “This record is about triumph over adversity through perseverance,” Bigland told HRH Mag. “It’s an epitaph to an intensely challenging part of my adult life.”

The album’s lead singles—Bout to Lose It, My Way, Big Dogs, and now Sick Of Being Down—showcase a band firing on all cylinders. My Way is a hip-hop-inflected ode to authenticity, railing against an industry that underpays artists, while Big Dogs gleefully skewers celebrity freebie culture. Loudwire named I’ve Felt Better among 2025’s most anticipated releases, praising its “full gamut of emotions—exhaustion, mental health, empowerment, and love.” Pre-orders are live at dinosaurpileup.com.

Bigland’s journey, including his 2022 marriage to Karen Dió, threads romance through the record. “Motivating myself to get out of hospital, I kept a photo of a wedding ring on my phone,” he told OriginalRock.net. “That promise was fulfilled, and that love shines through.” Fans have embraced the band’s return, with @DINOSAURPILEUP’s X post announcing Sick Of Being Down sparking a wave of excitement.

The Leadmill Farewell: A Sheffield Homecoming

On June 24, 2025, Dinosaur Pile-Up will headline Sheffield’s Leadmill for one of its final shows before the venue’s closure, joined by special guests HotWax. “Yorkshire’s hard rock heroes” are set to deliver an emotional send-off at the iconic spot, where they’ve played countless gigs since forming in 2007. Tickets are available via leadmill.co.uk, but they’re moving fast for this historic night. The Tab notes the Leadmill’s closure marks the end of a 45-year legacy, making this a must-see event.

2025 Tours: UK Headline Run and US Arena Assault

Dinosaur Pile-Up are hitting the road with a vengeance. Their UK headline tour in September 2025, their first since a sold-out 2019 run, promises high-octane sets featuring I’ve Felt Better tracks. Dates include:

• Sep 5: XOYO, Birmingham (Tickets)
• Sep 6: SWX, Bristol (Tickets)
• Sep 9: Garage, Glasgow (Tickets)
• Sep 11: New Century Hall, Manchester (Tickets)
• Sep 13: Electric Ballroom, London (Tickets)

“After an extended break, we can’t wait to play the new songs live,” Bigland told V13.net. “We’re stoked on this record and can’t wait to see the fans again!”

From October 22 to November 22, 2025, the band joins A Day To Remember and Yellowcard for the Maximum Fun Tour across US arenas, followed by a slot on the ShipRocked Cruise (Jan 25-31, 2026). Key US dates include:

• Oct 22: Toyota Arena, Ontario, CA
• Oct 23: Gallagher Square at Petco Park, San Diego, CA
• Oct 25: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Phoenix, AZ
• Nov 2: The Armory, Minneapolis, MN
• Nov 22: American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, TX

Full dates are listed at bandsintown.com. Theprp.com reports the tour’s rotating lineup, with Dinosaur Pile-Up delivering their signature fuzz alongside pop-punk heavyweights.

Formed in Leeds in 2007 by Matt Bigland after Mother Vulpine’s dissolution, Dinosaur Pile-Up—now Bigland (vocals/guitar), Mike Sheils (drums), and Jim Cratchley (bass)—have long been alt-rock’s underdog heroes. Their early influences (Nirvana, Weezer, Foo Fighters) shine through in their melodic fuzz, with Celebrity Mansions earning a spot on Loudwire’s 50 Best Rock Albums of 2019.

Bigland’s health crisis halted their momentum after a 2019 US Top 5 Rock Radio hit with Back Foot and tours with Shinedown, The Offspring, and Sum 41. Yet, I’ve Felt Better transforms pain into power, with Sick Of Being Down as its rawest expression. “This album is about taking back control,” Bigland told HRH Mag. Fans on X, like @indienative, are buzzing over the “raucous” single, while @98Rock praised its garage-punk edge.

Join the DPU Revolution

Stream Sick Of Being Down on Spotify, Apple Music, or dinosaurpileup.com, and catch the lyric video on YouTube. Pre-order I’ve Felt Better now via Mascot Records. Grab tickets for the Leadmill farewell, UK tour, or US dates at bandsintown.com. Follow @DINOSAURPILEUP on X for updates.

Dinosaur Pile-Up have clawed their way back from rock bottom, and Sick Of Being Down is their battle cry. As Bigland puts it, “If you’ve been rock bottom and found the strength to pull yourself up, you can see hope.” This is more than a comeback—it’s a revolution. Don’t miss the roar.