Abrasive Trees are stepping into 2026 with purpose. The South West–rooted collective, long celebrated for their brooding atmospheres and immersive, slow-burning intensity, have announced a run of headline shows in Bristol, Colchester and Exeter from 26th–28th March, arriving just as they unveil their new single ‘Carved Skull’.

It’s a pivotal moment for the band. ‘Carved Skull’, released Friday 13th February via Italian dark‑rock imprint Argonauta Records, marks the first glimpse of their forthcoming full‑length album due in May. If early hints are anything to go by, the new material pushes deeper into shadow: darker edges, wider dynamics, and that unmistakable velvet‑heavy sound that thrives in close quarters. Expect something monolithic, intimate, and quietly devastating.

Each night brings a different, distinct flavour of heaviness, texture and experimental depth.

Thursday 26th March – Bristol, Exchange

Support comes from Mt Onsra, whose weighty, exploratory sound earned them a slot at ArcTanGent last year, and Mustelids, a rising Plymouth post‑rock outfit weaving restraint, texture and slow‑building tension. It’s a lineup built for listeners who crave beauty and abrasion in equal measure.

Friday 27th March – Colchester Arts Centre

Colchester gets something special: a bill featuring no‑rock pioneers Rothko (Bella Union / Lo Recordings), the experimental electronica of Strandings (Dead Rat Orchestra), and the doom‑laden drones of Vaahl. Expect an evening that drifts from minimalism to tectonic weight.

Saturday 28th March – Exeter Cavern

Back in the South West, the Bristol bill returns—Mt Onsra and Mustelids—for a night that promises cavernous low‑end, cinematic noise and the kind of atmosphere that the Cavern thrives on.

Across all three dates, the through-line is clear: this is a band shaping an experience. It’s a chance to witness where Abrasive Trees are heading next.

Tickets available via BandsInTown

The new single lands on Friday 13th February, a suitably ominous date for a track that signals a shift into darker, more expansive territory. Paired with a new video, ‘Carved Skull’ acts as both a standalone statement and a doorway into the album arriving in May.

Fans attending the March shows will be among the first to hear this new era unfold in real time, make sure you’re there!