Militarie Gun – God Save the Gun

      An album infused with distinct, uplifting, and soulful energy...

      16 · 10 · 2025

      The post-pandemic hardcore boom has led to a variety of unique musical fusions, some more successful than others. Militarie Gun stands out as one of the most intriguing post-hardcore bands in the current scene, largely due to their music's straightforwardness and accessibility. They have achieved this without producing a diluted, 'pop' version of the genre, unlike the biggest new rock band, Turnstile. Instead, their gritty yet catchy alt rock/hardcore mix remains simple and unpretentious while being rich with distinctive elements; anthemic, lively, and occasionally off-kilter alt/pop-core music, alongside vocalist Ian Shelton’s heartfelt and often starkly honest lyrics about personal struggles.

      While their debut album ‘Life Under The Gun’ was a straightforward collection of two- and three-minute pop-infused tracks, showcasing confident songwriting without relying on production gimmicks, ‘God Save The Gun’ marks a notable shift. This new album features 14 tracks that present a significantly more expansive experience, enriched with various studio techniques and embellishments. Militarie Gun’s characteristic punchy brevity is still largely preserved, especially in standout tracks. 'God Owes Me Money' may be their best song to date—an almost perfect emo-inflected anthem, with its “things you never remember/I never get to forget” chorus serving as one of this year's standout rock vocal hooks. The self-titled closing track is also excellent, showcasing Ian Shelton’s powerful but raw vocal delivery. Additionally, “Laugh At Me” emerges as a bright major-key jangle rock gem, expressing heartfelt love that will leave you buzzing with excitement.

      These tracks are both powerful and impressive, exemplifying how the band's newfound focus on studio production enhances the emotions and atmosphere of their music. The five-piece band has gone all-in, layering these 14 tracks with varied keys, rhythms, guitar effects, and other higher-budget touches. Interestingly, songs like ‘B A D I D E A’ and ‘Maybe I’ll Burn My Life Down’ draw surprising influence from contemporary Playboi Carti-style rap, characterized by hyper-distorted guitars, driving drums, and booming volumes. However, a couple of these new experiments don’t entirely work. For instance, “‘Maybe I’ll Burn My Life Down’ packs in everything, including backing vocals, drum machines, and piano stabs. It becomes so overloaded that nothing really stands out, akin to sipping something overly sweet where the flavor is lost.

      Despite some missteps, tracks like ‘God Owes Me Money’, which approaches perfection as a rock song, highlight Militarie Gun's exceptional songwriting capabilities, with catchy melodies flowing effortlessly. The packed nature of the production may mean that ‘God Save The Gun’ lacks some of the raw, impactful clarity present in their debut, but it nevertheless brims with distinctive, uplifting, and soulful energy.

      8/10

      Words: Tom Morgan

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