Many bands take years to find their sound. Riff Wood found theirs at 11 years old, in Davis County, Utah, and never really stopped chasing it. Now, with sophomore album Butterfly In Black And White on the horizon the trio of Carson Groves, Hyrum Russon, and Shredder Winegar is proving that childhood friendship and teenage battle-of-the-bands trophies can, in fact, add up to something real.
That trophy, for the record, came in 9th grade, when the band won the Utah Battle of the Bands and put the local scene on notice. Their debut, Tough Luck, followed and did what debuts are supposed to do: introduce the world to a band worth watching. Breakout single "Blur"—a certified TikTok flood, now sitting at 3.6 million streams—did most of the introducing, with "I Won't" (2.4 million streams) backing it up.
Butterfly In Black And White is the next chapter, recorded in the summer of 2025 with producer Rob Cavallo, the three-time GRAMMY winner behind Green Day, My Chemical Romance, and Paramore. According to the band, the studio chemistry was immediate.
"Honestly, everything just seemed to click once we got into the studio with Rob (Cavallo) and his team," the band said. "Whether it was the environment, the people we were surrounded by, or the energy of the sessions, everything came together naturally." The pace surprised even them: "One of the biggest surprises was how quickly the record came to life. We accomplished so much in just a couple of months, and it felt like every day we were building on the momentum from the day before."
The album's title isn't just a striking image, however. "The idea behind Butterfly In Black And White was really about duality," the band explained. "Life isn't just good or bad—it's usually somewhere in between, and a lot of it comes down to perspective. Every song explores different emotions and experiences, but they all tie back to that main idea of seeing both sides of life."
It's an idea that shapes the record's pacing as much as its lyrics. "There are moments that are loud, energetic, and made to jump around to, but there are also songs that slow things down and let you reflect," the band said. "We wanted to create something with a wide emotional range because that's what life feels like to us right now."
Asked to pick a standout, the band pointed to the title track. "It's hard to pick just one because every song brings something different, and we each have our favorites… but 'Butterfly In Black And White' (the song the album is named after) is definitely one we're excited about. It really brings together the whole theme of the album in a way that we're really proud of."
Following a breakout debut is its own kind of pressure, and the band doesn't pretend otherwise. "One of the biggest challenges for us (with every project) is trying to create something that feels fresh and honest... something that people haven't heard before but they can still connect with," they said. "We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to keep growing as songwriters while staying true to who we are. Looking back, we found the sound we were chasing, and we're really proud of how the album turned out."
That connection with listeners is clearly the point, not a side effect. "One of the coolest parts of releasing our first album was hearing from people who connected with the songs or found comfort in them during a difficult time. That's something we'll never take for granted," the band said. "More than anything, we hope Butterfly In Black And White has that same kind of impact. If these songs can help even one person feel understood or less alone, then we've done what we set out to do."
Riff Wood just wrapped a sold-out U.K. tour—"those fans were truly incredible," they said—and now they're gearing up for a North American run behind the new album this summer. "Touring has always been our favorite part of being a band because that's where we get to meet the people who make all of this possible," the band said. "Beyond that, we're just excited to keep writing, keep growing, and see where this journey takes us. We've already been given opportunities we only dreamed about growing up, and we're more than grateful for every one of them."
Butterfly In Black And White is out September 18, mark your calenders!
Photo credit Maxine Baker
