Boston punk veterans Dropkick Murphys have announced a new 12-inch vinyl split LP with fellow Boston band Haywire, titled New England Forever. The release follows the bands’ recent tours together and highlights a growing creative partnership between two groups rooted in the city’s punk and hardcore scenes.
Each band contributed three original songs to the split, along with covers of one another’s material. Haywire recorded Dropkick Murphys’ “The Boys Are Back,” while Dropkick Murphys covered Haywire’s “Always By My Side.” The LP also features collaborative tracks between both bands, including “Citizen I.C.E.”, a reworked version of Dropkick Murphys’ 2005 song “Citizen C.I.A.” from The Warrior’s Code.
“Citizen I.C.E.” updates the original track’s political themes to address current events and immigration enforcement in the United States. The band previously previewed the song with a video shared on social media that referenced the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The full studio version has now been released digitally and features guest contributions from Haywire.
In a statement shared online, Dropkick Murphys wrote:
“As Americans are being executed in the street, we feel it is our duty to raise consciousness, and be one of the voices speaking against this nightmare. CITIZEN I.C.E. is FOR THE PEOPLE. Stand strong against tyranny. Use it however you want.
In Solidarity, with Love, Dropkick Murphys.”
The collaboration reflects a broader alliance between the two bands, who toured Europe together last year and will reunite for Dropkick Murphys’ annual St. Patrick’s Day U.S. tour beginning in February.
New England Forever will be available exclusively at shows during Dropkick Murphys’ For The People… In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour, with support from The Aggrolites and Haywire on most dates. The tour kicks off on February 9 at the State Theatre in Portland, Maine, and concludes with five hometown shows in Boston between March 13–17, marking the band’s annual St. Patrick’s Day run.
The tour includes stops across the United States, with notable performances at Chicago’s Salt Shed, Denver’s Mission Ballroom, and multiple nights at MGM Music Hall at Fenway and Citizens House of Blues in Boston. Several dates will feature special hockey game performances without opening acts.
Haywire, a Boston hardcore/Oi! band, have gained increasing attention through constant touring and high-profile collaborations. Their partnership with Dropkick Murphys brings together two generations of Boston punk—both known for politically charged songwriting, community-focused messaging, and high-energy live shows.
With New England Forever, Dropkick Murphys and Haywire offer a release that reflects both their shared roots and their current momentum, delivering new material that bridges punk, hardcore, and social commentary—available only to fans attending the tour.
Side A – Dropkick Murphys
Citizen I.C.E. (feat. Haywire)
Only The Strong
Solidarity
Always By My Side (Haywire cover)
Side B – Haywire
New England Forever (feat. Dropkick Murphys)
Hang Up The Telephone
The Henchmen
The Boys Are Back (Dropkick Murphys cover)
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