Los Angeles agit-rock outfit Holy Wars spent 2025 consolidating their momentum. A run of singles via Pale Chord “I Feel Everything,” “Crucify” and the anthemic “Metamorphosis” have all continued to build on the promise of their 2023 EP Cult Classic.

One of the more unexpected moments from this period has now been formalised. Holy Wars have released a live, in-studio rendition of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” expanding on a performance first captured during an intimate show at Los Angeles’ Pico Union Project. In front of a closely gathered audience, frontperson Kat Leon guided the band through a measured, commanding set. The cover quickly circulated beyond the room itself, ultimately prompting Holy Wars to revisit the track and give it an official release.

Anchored by Leon’s restrained performance, the band’s take on the The Downward Spiral staple avoids excess, favouring emotional clarity and intent. It reads less as reinvention than reverence, a careful acknowledgement of a song whose weight still looms large.

The release slots into a broader moment of transition for Holy Wars. With a confirmed appearance on the 2026 ShipRocked voyage alongside Halestorm, Motionless in White, Knocked Loose, and others, the band appear poised to carry this momentum into the years ahead.