trauma ray Release “Hannibal” MV, a Slithering and Unsettling Turn Toward Darkness—New EP Carnival Out Feb 20
Fort Worth, Texas-based shoegaze band trauma ray have announced the release of their new EP “Carnival,” due out on February 20, 2026 via Dais Records. Alongside the announcement, the band have unveiled a music video for the EP’s lead single, “Hannibal.”
Carrying forward trauma ray’s lineage across metal, grunge, and shoegaze, “Hannibal” introduces a heavier and more ominous edge than previously heard. “Stone Temple-y, Alice in Chains-y,” Avila quips. Lyrically, the track taps into teenage angst, channeling the sensation of being dissected and rejected.
The accompanying music video reinforces this atmosphere through lo-fi visuals evoking Y2K-era Windows interfaces and the original PlayStation. Disturbing imagery—blood-soaked clowns, grinning elephants baring their teeth, and a burning merry-go-round—appears throughout, amplifying the song’s sense of menace and disquiet.
With “Carnival,” trauma ray present what feels like an invitation into an increasingly dark and immersive world, marking another step forward in the band’s ongoing evolution.
trauma ray – Carnival | Streaming & Pre-Order
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