Alterjoy - 'i caught fire' single review

I’m hesitant whenever an artist covers a nostalgic song that I love and I’m even more nervous when it gets a heavier revamp, but ‘I caught fire’ by The Used was the perfect song for Alterjoy to add even more edge to. The vocalist behind Alterjoy, Ben Heidrich, said “The Used helped shape a generation of rock musicians and have inspired us all in some way. This version of 'I Caught Fire' is darker, heavier, and hits from a different place in 2025”. This cover will bring you right back to when you heard the track for the first time and will bring you that same joy all over again, but with added electricity and even more raw emotion.

The cover retains the same lyrics and melody as the original, but adds in a more intense vocal quality and more powerful drums. In verse one you can hear the belting and audible aspiration in the line "my head on your chest, waiting to cave in". You can feel how much passion has gone into the production of this track. Alterjoy have described this as not just a cover, but instead a “resurrection” of the original. It feels like the song has had new life breathed into it with this version. The track is passionate, emotional and fresh. The cover art is a beautiful tribute to the original art, displaying a heart held by a string. Where the original cover depicted a cartoon heart, Alterjoy has used a realistic depiction to illustrate how the song has been reconceived and brought back to life in 2025. It feels like the artwork is evidence of Chris Lalic's statement that "it was taking something nostalgic and giving it a fresh, modern edge".

Alterjoy is a solo project with production and creative influence from Chris Lalic (windwaker). Heidrich launched Alterjoy in 2023 with the debut single 'this is real'. Since this initial launch Heidrich has experimented with pop, rock, electronic, metal and other genres to form his unique sound. He has stated that his inspiration comes from a variety of artists such as bilmuri, enter shikari and ghostemane. With such a diverse range of sound and sources of inspiration, it's no surprise that Heidrich describes Alterjoy as "sound without borders - emotive, experimental, and intentionally undefinable".

This isn't the first time Alterjoy have taken on a nostalgic track, with 'Hella good' (No Doubt) being covered in early 2024. It's interesting to see how Alterjoy approached 'hella good' in comparison to 'I caught fire' and shows that Alterjoy is not scared of experimenting with a range of sounds and styles.

Alterjoy's latest album 'Reanimate' was released November 15th 2024. The album contains songs such as 'world so loud' and 'the fuse'. The album was quoted as addressing "resilience, self-control, and transformation in a chaotic, synthetic world". Keep your eyes peeled for our review of 'the fuse' and keep your ears tuned to Alterjoy by following them on instagram and listening on all major music platforms.