Alternative Ed
Deep in the mountains of Preston County, West Virginia, a group of alternative education teachers started writing songs to connect with the young people in their classrooms. Those songs grew into Alternative Ed, a fiercely independent alternative rock band built to show students how far creativity can carry them. Now the Kingwood crew are cranking the volume higher than ever with "Oblivion," a heavy, hard-charging new single that opens the door to their upcoming album 'Realitivity,' arriving in spring 2027.
"'Oblivion' is a heavier step forward for Alternative Ed and introduces the direction of our upcoming album Realitivity, planned for spring 2027," says frontman Steve Martin. Sharper, darker and louder than anything the band has released before, the song dives headfirst into the grunge side of their sound, pairing crunching guitars and explosive dynamics with the big melodic hooks that have become their calling card. "It is meant to feel bigger, darker and more aggressive than much of what we have released before, and it serves as the first real doorway into the sound of Realitivity," Martin adds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3-qboemaVo
At its heart, "Oblivion" is a song with two powerful messages. "At its core, 'Oblivion' is a call to action with two meanings," Martin explains. "On an individual level, it is about standing up, taking a chance, and acting without being paralyzed by the fear of catastrophic failure."
The song then widens its lens to the whole world. "On a larger level, the song looks outward at what we are doing to the planet," he says. Both ideas meet in the song's thrilling final line, "It's your life, be alive," a rallying cry Martin sums up with a burst of conviction: "To me, that means do something. Take the chance. Take responsibility. Do the right thing."
Listen on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5euojNqPFMlBMJ0QMFkrvk
The new sound arrives alongside a newly completed five-piece lineup. Martin leads on vocals and rhythm guitar, joined by Gage Pifer on lead guitar, Bryan Raybuck on bass, Jason Payne on drums and Ashley Sphar on backing vocals. "With new members coming into Alternative Ed, we felt ready to move in a new direction and let the music reflect that change," Martin says. That collaborative spirit shows up in the credits too: Martin wrote the lyrics, and the music was composed together with Sphar, Raybuck, Pifer and Jason Payne.
Alternative Ed proudly do everything themselves, writing, recording, and producing every track at home in the West Virginia hills. "We record our music ourselves in West Virginia, working in a home-recording environment and shaping the songs piece by piece," Martin shares. That hands-on approach gives their music a raw, honest energy, with the songs staying close to the people who lived the stories behind them.
Their momentum keeps climbing. The band has passed 130,000 streams, and their heartfelt anthem "Everything to Me" hit #1 on Spotify's Progressive Rock Odyssey playlist.
Martin wrote the song for his wife, a nurse, and it has since become a highlight of their live shows. "When we play it, the chorus has a way of turning into an arm-in-arm singalong," he says. "Something that started as a very personal message to one person became something other people could hear their own relationships and their own history in." A remastered version of the song appears on 'Room 229 (Remastered),' released July 10, 2026, and the band has earned support from independent radio, podcasts and playlists, including Prospect Radio London and a feature interview with Subamerica.
With "Oblivion" out now and 'Realitivity' on the way, Alternative Ed are ready to bring their mountain-grown sound to more stages, more listeners, and more hearts. The band that began in a classroom is still chasing the same mission: making music that inspires people to stand up, take the chance and live out loud.
