The Breakdown
In the words of a poetic messiah, haters are going to hate, but here at Backseat Mafia’s antipodean outpost we love the new album ‘Non-Violent’ from Queensland’s indie punk band Haters.
Recorded in Ontario, Canada with Cancer Bats founding member Scott Middleton, ‘Non-Violent’ is the culmination of a month-long recording blitz that challenged the band both physically and mentally, inspiring a ruthless intensity that sends echoes throughout the album. Jai from the band says:
We lived in the studio for a month, we didn’t really have a concept of time, so we would just play until we got really tired. We slept on the floor of the studio. It was a month of just round-the-clock recording. It was very intense. The record and this band, lyrically, both are intense.
There is clearly a journey of discovery for the band.
Haters is about love and community. The name refers to the haters being there, but everyone who is part of this band is here. We props each other up and use music to make celebrate kindness. There’s all those elements on the record; not every song is gloomy, everything comes from a real place and real things that have happened.
The band is bolstered by a certain camaraderie that shines through the delivery.
I’ve been in a few bands and I would hang out with this band…even if I wasn’t in a band with them. We would still spend everyday talking to each other. I think that’s something that we have over other bands, and you can really see it as soon as we plug our guitars in. You can’t make that up on a stage, that chemistry we have together.
From the opening vocal bursts of ‘Liberate’ there is a raw veracity to the material, mixing intelligent self-deprecating lyrics with scaling melodies as the band definitely sings I’m not like you over razor blade guitars and a rhythm section that pounds like it’s the end of the world. ‘wander/wonder’ adds a more nuanced guitar shimmer with a contrapuntal brutality in the lyrics, loud and expressive:
This is visceral and exciting stuff: cathartic and bold.
‘Quit My Job’ is raw and angry and filled with a punky blast with the band’s signature grunts and explosive delivery while ‘Dead Inside My Head’ has a heavy rocket blast with a guitar that could cut through sheet metal with a message about hopelessness and angst – when I grow up I will be dead inside my head.
‘Ted Bundy’ and ‘Young Ones’ roll with the blast of something melodic by Green Day yet the former with dark lyrics and the latter with an anthemic blast, while ‘Steal A Car’ winds back the thump with a more gently delivery and a certain wry sense of humour.
Haters introduce a Clash like urgency in ‘Weapon’ with its passionate delivery and channel The Ramones in ‘Last Night’ with its cartoon bounce. ‘Jimmy Says’ replaces the barbed wire buzz with a little restraint and shimmering guitars underneath chanting vocals while ‘My Best Friend’ sounds like a classic Australian pub rock blast with the dual vocals and frenetic pace. Final track ‘Survive’ is a sparkling sparse pop track with the vocals to the fore above gently strumming guitars and dual vocals that slowly implodes – a fine example of pop punk with indelible melodies.
‘Non-Violent’ is a fresh blast of raw visceral punk leavened by soaring melodies and a delicious pop sensibility.
‘Non-Violent’ is out now and can be downloaded and streamed here.
Haters will be touring the album playing in Brisbane, Sydney and the Sunshine Coast – tickets and details here.
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