It’s really neat to see how Sofy Major have grown, changed and developed over the years, from scruffy screamo act to groove-infused Shotmakerisms and into hoarier noise-rock territory. This, their fifth album, sees them follow the likes of Throat or Hebosagil by refining their thumping noise-rock and combining it with a hefty dose of 90s post-hardcore. The raw crunch n’ clang is still there for sure, but it’s shot through with woozy melodies and a warped sense of spatial awareness that recalls the likes of Helmet, Understand, Seven Storey Mountain or a heavier, clumpier Burning Airlines. It’s a deep, ugly and involving slice of personal hell, and one that I’ve put a lot of time in with over the past few months … if any of the aforementioned namedrops make your ears prick up, you’d be well advised to do the same.
