Album Review
4 Stars Combining sentimentality with raw power.
Reviewer: Finlay Holden
Released: 26th September 2025
Label: Music For Nations
Since bursting onto the music scene in 2021 with the aggressive ‘Shattered Faith’, Glasgow’s premier pill-punk band VLURE has been delivering sonically dark yet spiritually uplifting doses of rave catharsis throughout the UK. Their debut album may seem a bit late, but the whirlwind of thrashing synths, fierce vocals, and relentless energy makes it worthwhile. “Give me a release,” frontman Hamish Hutcheson persistently cries on the fast-paced ‘Heartbeat’, a declaration of purpose conveyed with a fierce attitude. ‘Feels Like Heaven’ has the potential to be the anthem of any unforgettable night, with its glitchy vocal samples transforming a love confession into an exhilarating experience, while ‘Better Days’ introspectively reflects on past nights and the ones yet to come. Throughout 13 tracks, the album’s rhythm ebbs, flows, and warps, at times pushing its own limits but never losing sight of the goal. By capturing a once-prominent culture that few are willing to explore again, ‘Escalate’ showcases VLURE’s talent and ambition to fuse sentimentality with raw power. This is their time - and they embrace it fully.
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