Xdinary Heroes on 'DEAD AND': Seven Songs, Seven Kinds of Goodbye

JYP Entertainment's rock band Xdinary Heroes is expanding its sonic horizons. Returning roughly six months after its last release, the six-member group is back with its eighth EP, showcasing styles fans have rarely heard from it before — and the members say that evolution was intentional.

The band — consisting of Gunil, Jungsu, Gaon, O.de, Jun Han and Jooyeon — sat down for an interview at a cafe in Seoul's Seongdong district to mark the release of "DEAD AND," which dropped on April 17 alongside the lead single "Voyager."

The EP features seven tracks: "Voyager," "X room," "Helium Balloon," "No Cool Kids Zone," "Hurt So Good," "Rise High Rise" and "KTM." Gaon said the group focused on "fun and fresh experiments" throughout the project. Jungsu added, "Xdinary Heroes never disappoints when it comes to music, so please have high expectations."

While its previous record centered on love, "DEAD AND" shifts its focus to parting. Each of the seven tracks explores a different side of farewell. Gaon said the band spent a lot of time thinking about how to connect that theme across songs with very different styles, eventually finding the answer through sound design.

"The synthesizer stands out the most this time," he said. "While we maintain a heavy rock foundation through the drums, bass and guitar, the synth brings something unique and grand. Using it more heavily has become our new weapon."

The shift placed extra responsibility on O.de, who handles the synth parts. To prepare, he spent much of his Lunar New Year holiday practicing in the studio.

"The synth is used in a flashier and more detailed way on the title track, which made it challenging for me," he said. "I gave up the holiday and spent a lot of time in the practice room. Fortunately, it's coming together well now. As long as I stay focused on stage, we'll be fine."

The title track "Voyager" draws inspiration from Voyager 1, the NASA spacecraft launched in 1977, using its journey to reflect the emotions that come with moving beyond the point of no return.

Gaon said the idea came from imagining the spacecraft continuing deeper into space after completing its mission. "That gradual, irreversible distance felt like the ultimate farewell," he said. "That's where the concept started."

When asked about their favorite songs on the album, most of the members chose "KTM." Jungsu described it as a style the group has rarely shown before. "We've mainly pursued a rough, aggressive sound," he said. "'KTM' is more polished, and that's where its charm comes from."

Gaon also praised the track's production. "The sound design and instrumental arrangements are excellent," he said. "From the intro alone, I think people will be impressed."

Ahead of the EP's release, the band built anticipation with the pre-release track "X room." The vintage-style ballad follows the slow fading of a relationship and was inspired by the Korean dating reality show "EXchange."

Jooyeon said the decision to release the song first was deliberate. "A pre-release track plays a big role in shaping expectations," he said. "I also wanted to surprise people a little. 'X room' has a very unique musical color and quality." Gaon added that the song captures the album's farewell theme more directly than any other track.

While Xdinary Heroes is often described as a "genre's melting pot," its identity has long been rooted in heavy rock. With easy-listening pop dominating much of today's market, questions about mainstream appeal naturally follow. Jooyeon, however, sees things differently.

"People call music mainstream when a lot of people connect with it," he said. "If a large audience ends up loving the music we make, wouldn't that make it mainstream too? Confidence is important for a rocker. We want the music we make to become mainstream."

At the same time, both "Voyager" and "X room" feel more accessible than some of the band's previous releases. Jooyeon acknowledged that shift.

"People often see Xdinary Heroes as a niche group or think our sound is too intense," he said. "I wanted to show that it's not because we can't do what people call mainstream music. We just hadn't done it before."

The band is aiming high on the digital charts this promotion cycle. Leader Gunil said he hopes the EP reaches as many listeners as possible. "I hope we enter the charts at a high rank," he said. "I want more people to hear our music."

When asked for a specific goal, he pointed to Melon's Top 100. "There are songs on this album that I think have strong staying power, and 'X room' is already receiving a lot of love," he said. "If the timing works out, I think this album has the quality to reach the top 10."

Coincidentally, Voyager 1 is expected to reach the milestone of being one light-day away from Earth this November. Gaon closed the interview with a playful request.

"I heard that milestone isn't too far away," he said. "Since our song is called 'Voyager,' we'd be thrilled if anyone at NASA happened to hear it and liked it."