Northern California alt-rock trio StrateJacket have revealed their debut album, Bad Start. The band also shared an official video for the song “Dreamcatcher.”

“Every song has its own soul and personality but it’s still us,” the trio shared in a statement. “There’s not really one definite sound [on the album]. It all is different feelings, different vibes and different grooves coming together and it still works cohesively.”


The trio of Jackson Roemers (lead vocals/guitar), Fabian Angel (vocals/bass), and Nate Mangold recorded their album at Vancouver’s Armoury Studios in November 2022. They worked with Juno-winning producer and songwriter Brian Howes on the record’s 11 tracks; Grammy-winning engineer Chris Lord-Alge, who has worked with Muse, Green Day, and Prince, among others, mixed the album.

To support the record, StrateJacket is also heading out on a series of tour dates with the band 10 Years. The groups are set to hit Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Los Angeles; Phoenix, AZ; and finally, Roswell, NM on October 19. Earlier in the year, StrateJacket also performed a notable festival circuit, playing sets at SXSW, Welcome to Rockville, and Omaha, Nebraska radio station KIWR’s Summer Bash.

“Really any time I hear a song I like, I try to make my own version of it, whether it be lyrically or instrumentally,” lead singer Nate Mangold told New Noise Magazine in June 2024 ahead of Rockville. “I think every genre has something good to offer, and being open to all of them is important personally.”

Listen to StrateJacket’s Bad Start now.