in today’s growing scene of new nu metal, it does get hard to sift through all the amazing bands that are breaking through the mainstream. It can be even more difficult to discover the bands that are doing incredible things but are not getting talked about enough.
The one thing I love the most when a new band is making its presence known is discovering a level of authenticity to their approach. Often times its easy to sniff out which bands are riding the wave of the genre's resurgence and which are showing that they are here to leave their mark in the most unapologetic way possible. The Dallas-based Toothpick, with their latest release Change is Everything, displays a level authenticity that most definitely changes everything.
Change is Everything dropped on March 20th, 2026, and since its initial drop has been making huge noise not only in the Dallas local scene but has scene traction as far as the East Coast to much praise. The EP only consists of 4 songs, but in that 15 minutes, Toothpick displays their unique approach to the alternative sound with a wide range of influences to match.
i had the pleasure of getting in touch with Toothpick lead singer and primary songwriter Cleo Moncada, and they shared with me the inner workings and experiences of each song, as well as trials and personal struggle that is hidden behind the EP itself.
“The way that it all came together, me and Chaz were like, 'Okay this is gonna be a vertical slice of where we're at, basically a demonstration what we could do.' We write heavy riffs, We write pop song melodies, with electronics on top. Let's make something solid that we can pitch you know? We talk about it in kind of a corporate sort of way, 'this is the pitch.' This is the elevator pitch of the band is this EP.“
Change is Everything opens heavy with the track “Suppressor," immediately displaying the attitude that the band is attempting to convey. A hard-hitting riff fades in over an electronic beat that shows the multiple layers of influence that is mixed well. One thing to notice throughout the EP is that Moncada is not afraid to let their voice be heard both melodically and lyrically, their style of singing adds a heavy later of emotion to bracing but almost pop style of groove that’s shown throughout each track.
Moncada explained how “Suppressor” came to life:
“Suppressor was really fun to make. That song is sound bites about each one of the songs [on the EP] and it took 15 minutes to write, and that song is super fun to play live, but it also kind of pisses me off a little bit. I think I wrote the chorus on the spot there. And a recurring theme for toothpick songs is that I usually don't know what the verse is until we start playing the song live. I might have some ideas jotted down or anything, but I really start figuring out and what I'm gonna say, in the moment, and it's sort of stream of consciousness thing.”
The next track is the hard hitting “Pulgasari“ and much like its predecessor the song opens with that iconic riff but at a much faster and heavier setting. Toothpick takes much inspiration from legendary French nu metal act Pleymo, but is able to strategically turn that influence into a very unique sound which ”Pulgasari“ smartly conveys. Moncada's lyrics tell an emotional tale that is uplifted behind every riff=heavy verse, and with the Acoustic breakdown that appears halfway through, “Pulgasari“ is definitely one of Toothpick's heaviest, but also sonically gifted, tracks.
Moncada explains its creation:
“Pulgasari was the longest song that it took to write. I think originally it was actually two songs shoved together, like fragments of songs. 'I'll write one fragment here, and I'll write another fragment here,' and we ended up smashing them together, and it worked out in a really cool way. It Kind of had a Chevelle sort of vibe to it. I wrote that on acoustic guitar so it was it was just natural you know, it kind of had a little twang to it, which I thought was really fun.”
The next track and their most diverse in terms of overall inspiration is “Ashdown”. This song relies less on riffs and more on the chorus and melody aspect of Toothpick's arsenal, more or less their version of a pop song but obviously with their own twist. the song is layered with a groovy and dance oriented drum track that is followed with a atmospheric guitar melody and synths that pay homage to those Late 90s dance tracks but with layers of heaviness. Moncada explains the creation of “Ashdown” and its very unexpected influence:
“'Ashdown,' when I wrote that song I was listening to a lot of Oasis at the time, and that song is really was my attempt write a Britpop song. You can kind of hear on the recording, I'm going “you and I are gonna live forever“ I'm doing a sort of the Liam Gallagher impression on it. That was really where the mentality was with that song And there's like a shit-ton of Oasis quotes in there that if Noel Gallagher heard it, he might sue me, But its a very Oasis-y, Britpoppy sort of song. when I first did, the first pass on that as a demo, the drums were all a program break, and was kind of a nuclear daisies feel, which we translated it into live drums and live guitars and everything, it ended up sounding a lot more like an emo pop song, which I thought was really cool. And I think it came out really well.“
Originally released back in the summer of 2025, the final track on the EP and definitely their most prominent is the powerhouse “Aluminum”. The song hits with that traditional heavy riff thats layered beautifully with a break beat that brings the listener into a wave of intimate lyrics and pulse-pounding verses. The electronic pieces with record Scratches and synths adds sonically to the composition, and with a ‘GO” breakdown to close out track, it makes any live room move no matter how big or small.
“Aluminum“ in terms of creation has the most history both musically and emotionally, as Moncada explains its creation:
“'Aluminum' was the first Toothpick song ever written... That was like I have to make this the elevator pitch of the band. It's kind of got everything that makes a Toothpick song, it's got the heavy riff, it's got the super almost emo-ey like, chorus with the big chords and shit like that. It's got all the electronic shit going on like the 'Amen' break and the DJ sample, the 80s synth, the super Linkin Park-y sort of transitions with guitar on top.
That song, I wrote while I was homeless. I was jumping between Dallas, New York, and Orlando, and it was absolutely my lowest point and it ended up being a super dark song lyrically. It's kind of wild to just look back at, I was really down and out when I wrote that song. I was raising hell. I was drugged out of my mind half the time, like drunk and wandering from place to place, hopping on flights to go play with bands to make money, just doing a bunch of stupid shit, and not giving a damn about anything. I was in a relationship with a girl after I got out of an abusive relationship, and that relationship turned codependent and that wasn't healthy. I felt like I had absolutely nothing. But because of friends and family, I was able to get my head back on straight, I'm not sober or anything. I'm not a straight edge kid, I still drink my but my vices are under control, just having people who look out for me the but also the band it self. Having Toothpick changed everything for me, Toothpick changes everything.“
Toothpick not only showcases the incredible music coming out of the growing Dallas scene but the all around the best of resurgence of nu metal has to offer. The group has the ability to play shows along side heavy hitters like Bleed but could also see them share the stage with the likes of Nine Inch Nails, and with their level of work ethic, that could be sooner than later.
Listen to Change Is Everything below:
