The final years of the ‘00s were very kind to Belgian band Customs. They won radio station Studio Brussel’s talent contest, scored big-time with their debut album Enter The Characters and headlined the Rock Werchter festival. Personally, I was very fond of their early ‘10s sound. Notably tight pop-rock songs like Rex, Harlequins and Toupee. Success continued, but still the quartet called it a day in 2018.

Now, they’re back. Not with one, but with two new singles.

Last week, Custom released New Galaxy and Rise Again simultaneously. They’ve asked their fans which one is their favourite, but both songs are liked evenly. Understandably, for both tracks are very strong comeback tunes. Yet, I tend to like the latter best. The first drum beats of Rise Again bring Pat Benatar’s classic Love Is A Battlefield to mind, followed by a The Cure-like guitar part. But forget that, for above all, it’s a 100% Customs song. Where the rest of us turned back time with one hour last weekend, these songsmiths turned it back a whole 15 years. With this fine up-tempo track, Customs make us feel as if time stood still.

“I’ll rise again / Stronger than ever / You have not seen the best of me”, they sing. That’s good to hear. Especially in the light of a promise they make on their socials: ‘We will be bringing new music to you, on the 23^rd of every month, for years to come’. Welcome back!

Rise Again by Customs is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. It will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.

Follow Customs on Facebook | Instagram | X | Spotify

In the Wildcards 2024 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.