Somewhere between Nirvana’s rawness, Foo Fighters’ melodic punch, Garbage’s edge, and Softcult’s hazy modernity sits the sonic world of Not Old Memories Only Sound (N.O.M.O.S.). Their new single, “Crack It Open,” released August 7, 2026, brings these influences together without becoming a simple trip down memory lane. Instead, the Brasília-based husband-and-wife duo turn familiar alternative-rock elements into something atmospheric, immediate, and distinctly their own.
“Crack It Open” finds its sweet spot between grit and melody. There is an unmistakable ’90s grunge sensibility in its raw energy and guitar-driven sound, but the track never feels like it belongs entirely to another era. Its grungegaze textures add a softer, dreamier layer, giving the song room to breathe while keeping its edge intact.
That balance is perhaps what makes the track work so well. N.O.M.O.S. understand that revisiting a familiar sound does not necessarily mean recreating it. Instead, Alex and Letícia draw from the emotional directness of grunge: its vulnerability, urgency, and sheer physicality, and filter it through a more contemporary sonic lens. The result feels nostalgic without being overly sentimental.
There is also something refreshing about the simplicity of the track’s premise. There is no elaborate story behind the release; it is ultimately about the sound itself; and sometimes, that is more than enough. “Crack It Open” is music that asks to be felt at full volume: guitars hitting hard, melodies cutting through the haze, and the energy itself is carrying the track.
As the first glimpse into their forthcoming album File: Unsaved, “Crack It Open” by Not Old Memories Only Sound makes for an effective introduction; rooted in the noise of the past, wrapped in the haze of the present, and leaving plenty of room to wonder what comes next!
