Scowl - Are We All Angels

Scowl aren't particularly interested in your hardcore rulebook. The Santa Cruz outfit blindsided everyone in 2021 with 'How Flowers Grow', a 15-minute blast of frenetic punk that established them as scene heroes. Now on their second album 'Are We All Angels' – and with the backing of indie powerhouse Dead Oceans (home to Phoebe Bridgers and Mitski) – they're gleefully tearing up whatever blueprint they established.

Rather than retreating from the genre-blurring tendencies they explored on 2023's 'Psychic Dance Routine' EP, Scowl double down on their refusal to stay in their lane. Reuniting with producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight) and bringing in mixer Rich Costey, the band embraces a cleaner, punchier sound that gives their aggression room to breathe – and their melodic instincts space to flourish.

Lead single 'Special' announces this evolution with confidence. What might once have been a straightforward hardcore track now swaggers with distinctly grunge-adjacent riffs and an arena-ready chorus. Frontwoman Kat Moss half-jokingly acknowledged the track's "arena rock" energy, but there's truth in the jest – this is Scowl thinking bigger without apologising for it.

'B.A.B.E.' (short for 'Burned At Both Ends') demonstrates their newfound dynamic control, switching from infectious hooks to relentless hardcore fury with precision. 'Not Hell, Not Heaven' takes a different tack, riding a mid-tempo groove and an immediately memorable chorus hook. The fuller production gives the band's anger a broader canvas, proving that accessibility and authenticity aren't mutually exclusive concepts.

What's immediately striking about 'Are We All Angels' is Moss's vocal evolution. She's dropped some of the gnarly bite of her past delivery in favour of a more textured approach, incorporating clean singing and surprising harmonies alongside her still-ferocious screams. This expanded range gives Scowl's music new emotional dimensions without sacrificing its intensity.

There's an underlying current of defiance throughout – a band aware they've become something of a lightning rod in the hardcore scene, simultaneously embraced and side-eyed as their profile rises. Rather than dodge this tension, Scowl confront it head-on, asserting their right to evolve without apology. For all its expanded horizons, though, 'Are We All Angels' never betrays the band's roots. By balancing their raw power with unexpected melody and a willingness to incorporate diverse influences, Scowl have crafted an album that will broaden their audience without sacrificing their integrity. 'Are We All Angels' stands as both a thrilling evolution and a provocative statement from a band determined to define themselves on their own terms, delivering one of the best heavy albums in years in the process – no wings required.