CINTRA pull no punches on vulnerable emotion-heavy alt rock / emo EP, 'Steady Habit'

Brisbane’s rising force in alt rock, CINTRA have pulled together 5 meaty chunks of punky, alternative rock into their newest EP, ‘Steady Habit’, which is out now.

Formed in the turbulence of lockdown, the band emerged with an instinct for catharsis: punchy punk-rock foundations wrapped in pop-punk heart, where every chorus carries a split between hope and hurt. Their sound is urgent, melodic and earnest, built for anyone who’s ever felt too much and too loudly.

In the time since their formation, CINTRA have wasted no energy. The band released three singles across the past year, each one tightening their identity and expanding their reach. Word has travelled fast — the Reynolds brothers' dual-fronted dynamic, combined with high-voltage rhythm work, has earned them a reputation for turning personal crises into anthems. If CINTRA have a mission, it’s to find light through noise, and to drag you with them into it.

Now, after two transformative years in the studio with producer Sam Woods, CINTRA present their new EP, ‘Steady Habit’— a record carved from the bones of breakdowns, recovery, and slow rebuilding. These songs weren’t written in the calm after the storm, but during it; threads of resilience, relapse, clarity and confusion woven into a collection that feels lived-in and unfiltered.

Shimmering guitars meet raw vocal confessions. Punk-rock edges sharpen into pop sensibility. Emotion turns into motion.

‘Steady Habit’ definitely leans into the mid-00s emo and alt rock spirit, showing plenty of affection for shimmering riffs, lyrics that leave the deepest of bruises, and an eagerness to push boundaries. The influences ripple throughout, from flashes of The Matches and Panic! At The Disco’s theatrical edge, to shades of Motor Ace’s melodic grit - these are all woven in CINTRA’s own growing identity.

Across the tracklist, the band opt for movement over monotony. Instead of a straight-through rock assault, they deliver a rollercoaster of tone and tempo — from the punch of ‘Seeing Stars’ to the tender grit of ‘Lily’, each song landing like a snapshot from a different emotional season. It’s a record built from lived experience, and you can feel the weight of it, but there’s light threaded through the noise too.

‘Steady Habit’ feels like CINTRA stepping into themselves — more confident, more intentional, and with plenty more left to say. If this is the foundation, then whatever comes next is worth keeping eyes (and ears) on.

 This is CINTRA at their most vulnerable — and their most assured.

“Steady Habit is about the repetition that keeps you alive — even when you don’t want to be.”

More than a release, steady habit marks a milestone. A proof of perseverance. A reminder that growth doesn’t always happen in leaps — sometimes it arrives slowly, one steady habit at a time.

To celebrate, CINTRA will launch the EP in full at Black Bear Lodge — January 11, 2026, with a live show promising sweat, catharsis and the kind of communal shout-along therapy only a band like CINTRA can deliver.

Tickets are available now through CINTRA’s Instagram.