THE SPACE BETWEEN Unleashes Addictive New Anthem “Weapon of Choice” From Upcoming Album, Dying Sun
Hailing from the cold streets of Ottawa, female-fronted hard rock outfit The Space Between is set to ignite the 2026 rock landscape with their visceral new single, “Weapon of Choice.” Serving as the lead catalyst for their forthcoming album, Dying Sun, the track is a masterclass in controlled chaos, blending the band’s signature articulate riffs with a raw, in the room energy that signals a definitive turning point in their evolution.
Recorded at the legendary Noble Street Studios, “Weapon of Choice” marks a high-octane collaboration with acclaimed producer Brian Moncarz, known for his work with heavyweights like Alice Cooper and The Tea Party. The production eschews digital polish for the authentic roar of vintage tube amps and real drums, capturing a band in peak form. As James Shaheen explains, the track was born from a desire to capture their live ferocity:
“We’ve struggled to find a recorded sound that properly captures our energy and I think we have finally been able to do it with ‘Weapon of Choice.’”
Lyrically, the single dives into the darker recesses of the human psyche, exploring the paralyzing grip of bad decisions. Lyricist and vocalist Maryn Pegan describes the track as a building pressure chamber, likening the internal struggle to an addiction. This tension is palpable in the song’s haunting verses: “I fight myself to stay awake / Who will I choose to disobey? / Temptation game / Just look away.” It is a song about the heavy toll of awareness—knowing the right path while being led down the wrong one by something uncontrollable.
The musicality of the track reflects a band that has found its grooviest stride to date. Drummer Tom Sergi notes that the initial inspiration for the main riff came from a rhythmic groove he was determined to play, leading guitarist James Shaheen to channel a Petrucci-style approach influenced by Dream Theater. The result is a sonic landscape where Ethan Ryan’s nasty bass lines lock in with heavy, syncopated riffs, providing a powerful foundation for Pegan’s soaring, melodic delivery.
“This song really felt—and still feels—like a new beginning for us,” says Maryn Pegan. “We’ve gone through some big changes over the past few years, and I think this marks a turning point to an actualized band. Making ‘Weapon of Choice’ brought us back together and kickstarted what we feel is our most fulfilling set of music yet.”
The single provides a window into the thematic depth of the full album, Dying Sun. According to Pegan, the album’s lyrics tell a story of life, death, epiphany, and resurrection, moving from the stain of time in “Weapon of Choice” to the eventual freedom found in tracks like “Endlessly.” This narrative arc is supported by a production team that also included Rob Cosh and John Rosefield, who helped the band refine their unique, cohesive, and powerful sound.
James Shaheen views the record as a necessary byproduct of the band’s collective struggle.
“This was not an easy album to make… occasionally the sun goes away for a while, and it’s just dark and pouring down rain,” Shaheen admits. “But we can’t have the light without the dark, and I think the collective struggle has created a really special collection of music.”
This grit is what defines The Space Between – a band unafraid to blend heavy guitar work with emotional intensity.
Since their formation in 2022, The Space Between has rapidly climbed the ranks of the Canadian rock scene. Following their 2023 self-titled EP and standout tracks like “Your Excuses,” the band has earned four separate nominations at the Capital Music Awards and garnered praise from legendary critics like Alan Cross. “Weapon of Choice” is the culmination of that momentum, showcasing a band that has finally bridged the gap between their polished recordings and their high-energy, sold-out live performances.
Choose your weapon. The band have already chosen theirs.
Hi, Maryn! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourself to the readers for those not familiar with your music?
Good to meet you too – excited to chat with you! I’m the frontwoman and lyricist of the Ottawa-based hard rock band The Space Between. We’ve been together for almost four years now, and our sound blends heavy riffs with big melodic hooks and emotionally honest storytelling. While we sit comfortably in the hard rock space, we’re always pulling from different influences to create something that feels intense, dynamic, and human.
“Weapon of Choice” feels like a pressure cooker from the first note. When did you realize this song was the one that had to introduce ‘Dying Sun’?
Honestly, from the moment we started writing it, we knew this one was different. “Weapon of Choice” came long before the rest of the album, and in many ways it became the blueprint for our new sound. As we built out Dying Sun, we kept returning to the identity of this track – the urgency, the aggression, the emotional intensity. It just made sense that this would be the first thing people heard. It throws you straight into the fire, which feels like the right way to begin this story.
You’ve said this track finally captures your live energy on record. What were you doing differently in the studio this time to make that happen?
We started the tracking instrumentally as a full band, and in such an amazing room like Noble Street, this immediately changed the energy. We really tried to capture that push-and-pull you get when we’re actually playing off each other. After that, we layered overdubs and vocals, but the foundation was really already feeling alive.
We also spent more time at the beginning testing amps, drum tones, and overall sounds, so by the time we were actually recording takes, we were already feeling the tune as we wanted the finished product to sound like. Because of the time we took at the beginning to get things fairly settled, it was so much easier to fall into the world of the song and the story to give that live-feeling performance.
Vocally, I approached it very differently too. It’s a balls-to-the-wall song – there’s no hiding in something like that. I had to show up and match that intensity, and what you’re hearing feels closer to my real-life voice than anything we’ve done before. It wasn’t about being perfect – it was about being honest and delivering something that felt as raw as it does live.
Working with Brian Moncarz meant leaning into vintage gear and fewer digital safety nets. Did that approach ever feel risky, or did it immediately feel right?
It honestly felt right. We knew we needed to approach this record differently if we wanted it to sound different, and leaning into more vintage gear (still with a few cool digital things!) forced us to commit to our choices. Because we had already spent time dialling in amps and drum sounds early on, we were able to leave recording feeling confident in the initial tones we chose, instead of relying on fixing things later.
There’s something super vulnerable about knowing you can’t endlessly polish or replace everything – but that vulnerability pushes you to perform. Brian and the team at Noble Street created an environment where that felt exciting instead of stressful, and I think that confidence really shows in the final product.
‘Dying Sun’ is described as a journey through life, death, and rebirth. Where does “Weapon of Choice” sit emotionally in that arc, and what mindset does it set up for listeners?
“Weapon of Choice” sits firmly in the “life” section of Dying Sun, but not in a celebratory way. It represents being fully immersed in destructive patterns – knowingly making choices that hurt you because they once felt good. It’s written from my perspective, as the majority of our songs are, but I intentionally left the lyrics open enough that listeners can insert their own subject into it. It could be a relationship, substance abuse, a toxic habit, or just a period in your life that keeps pulling you back in. This song sets up the unraveling that is “death” – or the death of one’s identity. It’s frantic, angry, and raw – and as the record progresses, those emotions get examined more deeply.
In terms of mindset, I hope it prepares listeners to be honest with themselves. It throws you straight into discomfort – into chaos, urgency, and tension – and asks you to sit with it rather than avoid it. It sets up the album as something that isn’t just meant to be heard, but felt. From there, the record gradually moves toward clarity and rebirth, but you have to be willing to face the dropoff first.
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