STAND ATLANTIC - WAS HERE - ALBUM REVIEW
Four albums in and the Austrialian pop-punk outifit want you to know that STAND ATLANTIC WAS HERE.
Australian Pop-Punk outfit STAND ATLANTIC is back with a new album. WAS HERE follows up 2022’s F.E.A.R and kickstarts a new era for the band. Filled with earworms and several guests throughout, WAS HERE sees them embracing a heavier side, without sacrificing their Pop-Punk roots.
WAKE UP, SIT DOWN, SHUT UP opens the album with some teasing synths, before gaining pace with chugging arena-sized guitars. The synths continue on the catchy FRENEMIES, with an opening that reminded me of a BMTH track.
GIRL$ is the first track with feature vocals, with PVRIS and Brutes each bringing their unique styles to their respective verses. It is a short and interesting track that benefits its catchy chorus. Following this is a personal favorite FREAKIN’ OUT with the muted guitars and rolling drums settling the listener in before things take a sinister tone with the tumultuous NOSE BLEED. A bombastic track that goes hard with captivating lyrics of a tumultuous relationship told through a duel perspective thanks to the excellent Sueco.
One thing STAND ATLANTIC knows how to do is write a catchy earworm. That’s exactly what you get on LOVE U ANYWAY. A sweet upbeat track that acts as a refreshing pallet cleanser before things get heavy.
KISSIN’ KILLER COBRAS has a lovely rolling drum and chugging riff as WAS HERE begins to embrace its heavier side. Another highlight are the killer riffs on WARZONE and Fraser’s aggressive style of singing. There is a rawness to the vocals that is hinted at here but is on full display for the haunting 17. Throughout the album, you get hints of the personal connection to the lyrics, and they don’t get much more personal than here. Fraser’s vocals are filled with a cathartic rage.
WAS HERE changes tone as we move away from the heavy STAND ATLANTIC and return to Pop-Punk STAND ATLANTIC with the more light-hearted G.A.G. This begins the closing chapter of the album with guitar-lite tracks with synth overlays. There are reggae influences on tracks like ROCKSTAR and SEX ON THE BEACH has one hell of a catchy chorus. KILL[H]ER closes the album the way it began, with chugging guitars and arena-worthy chorus’.
STAND ATLANTIC is four albums deep and is yet to repeat a trick. Each album has its own unique sound, constantly evolving. WAS HERE sees them evolve once again and take risks, they go being and prove there’s still plenty of road for them yet to go. An album of the year contender for sure.