It doesn’t feel like all that long ago that Phillipsburg-based rockers Alpha Zero Three released their self-titled debut album to the enjoyment of all those who encountered its strong, anthemic hooks.

The band has stayed hard at work since, working on new material for a follow-up and recently providing us with our first taste of the upcoming release.

The band’s new single, “Breathing (Getting Ready to Run)” is another nice slice of the alternative rock pie. The upbeat tune opens with a memorable drum kick and stays hot all the way through, featuring a staccato guitar progression to support an impressive vocal from frontman Monty Leach, who displays expansive range on the track.

The call-and-answer chorus of “Breathing (Getting Ready to Run)” borrows its lyrics from the song’s title, and is the type of earworm that will stick around and keep you nodding along all day. Meanwhile, the song’s bridge is part-power pop, part-prog rock, blending together for a sequence that is erratic in all the right ways to keep listeners intrigued.