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Seven Blood

Life Is Just a Phase

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SEVEN BLOOD – LIFE IS JUST A PHASE – ALBUM REVIEW

Germany’s Seven Blood may only have released their first music together last year, but you wouldn’t believe it given the maturity of their output thus far. A string of infectious singles has rightly garnered them attention and now’s the time for the quartet to make their first big statement.

That moment arrives in the shape of their debut album, ‘Life Is Just a Phase’, which gives a permanent home to many of those singles. There is therefore something of an instant familiarity that exudes from the record for those that are already on board with their journey.

For those only now waking up to this genuinely exciting new prospect, the album does it’s job very well by making that important opening statement. This is a band with their hearts on their sleeves passionate about creating an inspiring and identifiable sound.

Check out the video for ‘TO THE UNKNOWN’
Seven Blood – ‘To The Unknown’

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Again – mission achieved! Each track demonstrates a polished knack for writing hypnotic melodies, meaty hooks and personal yet relatable lyrics. You just need to absorb the likes of ‘Monsters’ and ‘Strangers’ to feel the emotion these songs evoke.

Seven Blood have also created something aesthetically bold and unique. These songs have the anthemic appeal of pop-punk but with a heavier modern-metal grit which emboldens the vulnerability of the lyrics.

With a runtime of thirty-six minutes, this is a succinct and direct declaration of intent from a band well worth investing your own time in; and ‘Life Is Just a Phase’ is an ideal place to start!

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Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 111

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Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 110

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White Lies

Night Light

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WHITE LIES – NIGHT LIGHT – ALBUM REVIEW

White Lies have always been a difficult band to pigeonhole into a specific genre and that’s ultimately what has helped to set them apart. They have their own identity and each record released tends to show a degree of evolution.

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise then that their new seventh studio album, ‘Night Light’, continues their ambitious path of growth and finds itself as another uniquely crafted set of songs. It’s worth noting that whilst it is of course a set of nine different songs, the album is greater than the sum of its parts and feels purposefully crafted as a singular piece of work.

The opening track, ‘Nothing On Me’ feels like it’s welcoming us to the town of Hawkins before exploding into a bombastic synth-laden groove which soon segues into the more melancholic ‘All The Best’.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘NOTHING ON ME’
White Lies – ‘Nothing On Me’

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Each track then flows elegantly into the next and mixes the various elements of their sound at different times. This is overarchingly however a slower more methodical record with hypnotic capabilities.

You won’t find yourself rocking out to these songs like you can much of their more front-footed work. No, instead you’ll want to seal yourself off in a dark room and allow yourself to get lost in the music.

There is much to take from this album as a listener even if actually in the context of their entire career it may not receive the acclaim they are used to. Fans of their more exuberant work will feel this is a bit flat, but that doesn’t make this a bad record – in fact it’s a very good one!

If every band stayed static in their sound then music would be boring, so fair play to White Lies for continuing to strive for something bigger and bolder.

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Finger Eleven

Last Night On Earth

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FINGER ELEVEN – LAST NIGHT ON EARTH – ALBUM REVIEW

Twenty years ago, Canadians Finger Eleven were making waves with a string of radio-rock favourites including tracks featuring on movie soundtracks and a handy affiliation with WWE. Truth be told though in 2025, they aren’t a band on many people’s radars anymore.

Indeed, it’s been ten long years since they released their last album, but their 2023 ‘Greatest Hits’ release stirred something – particularly the success of a new track, ‘Together Right’. Subsequently the band entered the studio and the first fruits of their labour ‘Adrenaline’ whetted rock fans appetites last year.

That track kickstarts new album ‘Last Night On Earth’ and helps to give the record a real solid foothold alongside ‘Blue Sky Mystery’ which features Filter vocalist Richard Patrick. The first half of the album incorporates glimpses of their old-school sound but in a somewhat more strait-laced rock package.

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Finger Eleven – ‘Adrenaline’

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As the album progresses it’s clear that the band have put a lot of love into the making of the record and are looking to both pay homage to their past but make something modern and worthy of their resurrection.

Interestingly the standout tracks tend to be the slower numbers such as the centrepiece title-track, the piano-led ballad ‘Wall Dogs’ and the Floydian ‘Body and Mind’. This ultimately becomes one of their most ambidextrous collections.

The only real oddity is concluding the record with a second version of ‘Blue Sky Mystery’ without Patrick which just feels unnecessary. That aside, ‘Last Night On Earth’ is far better than a Finger Eleven album in 2025 has any right to be and hopefully will jumpstart a new era for the band!

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Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 109

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Florence + The Machine

Everybody Scream

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FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – EVERYBODY SCREAM – ALBUM REVIEW

The promotion of Florence + The Machine’s last album, ‘Dance Fever’, ended abruptly amongst heartbreaking loss and a scary life-threatening medical emergency for Florence Welch.

Artists will often find catharsis in their creation, so it should be no surprise to anybody that their sixth album, ‘Everybody Scream’ tracks the theme not just of loss but also of recovery and hope. This naturally makes this an incredibly personal record for Welch and one that many will find solace in.

Welch has always oozed pure charisma however and this album is also able to get you moving with a grittier sound which is embellished by the presence of IDLES genius Mark Bowen. The more driven layers that have been added to the sound are hypnotic which ties in nicely with the majestic signature sound of the group.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘EVERYBODY SCREAM’
Florence + The Machine – ‘Everybody Scream’

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Lyrically poetic and sonically expansive this isn’t just some of the most personal material Welch has created but it’s some of the very best also… and that’s saying something given the credibility of her back catalogue.

Just shy of fifty-minutes long this is a mesmeric release for a number of reasons but more than anything it’s just great to hear Welch again unleashing her special talents in such a focussed and rewarding way.

A collaborative album with many parts to the machine both old and new this is an album well worth investing your energy in, so give it a go and everybody scream!

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Creeper

Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death

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CREEPER – SANGUIVORE II: MISTRESS OF DEATH – ALBUM REVIEW

In 2023, Creeper didn’t just release their third album – they became the album. Embracing a love for the theatrical stylings of Jim Steinman, ‘Sanguivore’ led a vampiric ascension of the vision and ambition of a band always looking to push themselves.

The result was a stunning record which we felt compelled to christen our Album of the Year. The usual relentless touring followed, and the band honed fully into the aesthetics of the release. In May this year, some of their fanbase appeared ready to move onto the next era for the band constantly reinventing themselves. Many attended Camden’s KOKO to celebrate the final death of the album’s thrall.

Instead, a spectacular finale revealed that the album will see a hauntingly conceived sequel – ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’! Frontman Will Gould (aka William von Ghould) has explained the concept as a vampire touring band being hunted by the eponymous Mistress of Death.

This is of course another big, brazen statement from a band seeking to deliver something greater than the sum of its parts. Therefore, as with its predecessor, you again need to invest your time listening to the record in its entirety to devour it as intended.

WATCH THE VIDEO for ‘HEADSTONES’
Creeper – ‘Headstones’

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This album however is easier to consume than the first. Rather than beginning with a near ten-minute rock opera, instead this album begins with a minute long intro track and an early run of familiarity with the three pre-release singles ‘Blood Magick (It’s a Ritual)’, ‘Headstones’ and ‘Prey for the Night’.

The relatively small selection of pre-heard material helps to bring a sense of intrigue as you work through this twelve-track / forty-two-minute collection. The likes of Hannah Greenwood led ‘Razor Wire’ add fascinating new layers to the record and held to ensure that whilst very much a continuation of the first album, this record works well also as a standalone piece.

Overall, across ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death’, Creeper have doubled down on their goth/glam rock hybrid sound but with added drive ala the classic metal of Maiden or Priest. That makes the album more accessible but still quirky and outlandishly fun.

No doubt the pursuant touring will see the band further exploring the possibilities of the genre, so it’s good that there are plenty of tracks on this album which are ready for feverish consumption. Halloween is the perfect day to release this record and now is the perfect time to sacrifice yourself at the altar of Creeper!

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Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 108

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Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 107

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