Review Summary: No Stranger To Me...
When we last got a new Loathe album, the world was looking pretty different- yet ever so familiar. It was February 2020, the lockdowns hadn’t quite hit America just yet but they were right around the corner. Donald Trump was President, rumors of wars were starting to shape up, and there was a genuine sense of dread for what was to come within the year, an uneasiness that only worsened as we all began to self-isolate. ‘I Let It In And It Took Everything’ was lightning in a bottle in every sense of the phrase- it was just ahead of the curve enough to be at the forefront of upcoming musical trends, whether it be the brilliant usage of the Bass VI, the shoegaze explosion of 2020, an escapist genre that many found solace in during those lost times, and being a hot new release from a promising band that connected so heavily to the emotions of the time through the world they were building. It’s been 6 years since the last Loathe album, and today their third full-length album ‘A Stranger To You’ has arrived. It is July 2026, it’s been five years since normal life resumed (well, as close to it), Donald Trump is President, the wars that were shaping up are ongoing and there is still a genuine uneasiness over what is to come- but it’s normal now, we’re used to it. We’ve had our time to think about the situation we’ve made for ourselves and the world around us. This is where ‘A Stranger To You’ picks up for me.
Even though it was written prior to the events that unfolded, ‘I Let It In And It Took Everything’ became the soundtrack to the isolation and loneliness we all experienced at the time of its release, transporting the listener to a new dimension entirely both instrumentally and lyrically with its bleak atmosphere, silent hill theatrics, and the shadowy world it resides in. Because of this, especially six years later, Loathe couldn’t do the same thing again. Loathe wouldn’t do the same thing, it's not like them to make the same record twice- but even if they tried and that was ever an option, it’s so intertwined with that time and went on to influence so many others in the scene that they had to innovate. ‘A Stranger To You’ is incredibly different from its predecessor in almost every way- but is LOUDLY still Loathe and every single new innovation, twist, sound, and moment never feels disconnected or out of place for the band. ‘A Stranger To You’ is authentically Loathe in today’s present day- it has a lighter air to it. It’s even more experimental than their prior magnum opus, it’s textured, warmer, conscientious, and simultaneously both weathered, and full of life.
‘A Stranger To You’ lives in an alternate dimension from ‘ILIAITE’. Where the latter was scarce, claustrophobic, and isolated, ‘ASTY’ is a mirror- reflective, ponderous, and communal. Where ‘ILIAITE’ represents the fear of actions to come, ‘ASTY’ is the acceptance of past actions. It's equally as intense, holding just as much weight- but it's more precise in its aggression. It's direct and calculated, leaning less on chaos and more on its depth. ‘A Stranger To You’ is an album that took six years to marinate- and you can tell. There's so many layers to hear upon each listen, and so many minute details to explore throughout the vast and dense scapes that Loathe have meticulously crafted across the album’s near an hour runtime. It’s familiar and convivial, but exists in its own space and is completely new- just like a stranger, you have to meet it, spend time, and get to know it. With the popularity of the band rising and taking off in the six year absence of music, it’s reflective of the band’s current relationship with their fans and an invitation to see where they’re at presently, eager for you to experience each twist and turn across the journey they’re going to take you on.
“Block Of Flats” kicks off the journey, setting the tone for the rest of the album with its off-kilter vibrato guitar rhythms before descending into madness with constantly changing tempos and time signatures. The track closes with the heaviest breakdown of the album and a feature from frequent collaborator and Static Dress frontman Olli Appleyard, whose shrill, high-pitched screams blend seamlessly with France’s. It's a chaotic start to an otherwise relatively chill album, but it perfectly foreshadows the tumultuous journey ahead. “Fortress Down” serves as the connecting piece for me between the two albums, serving as a sequel and quite literal alternate reality version of the fan-favorite “Screaming”. The off-kilter rhythms, ascendant chorus, and layered indistinct background vocal melodies are majorly reminiscent of “Screaming,” while having a completely new feel and expansive unconventional song structure.
While the album isn’t as heavy instrumentally overall as its predecessors, it’s not without some of the heaviest moments the band has ever released, such as the seething rager “Gemini” (which has the most awesome faux-techno breakdown) and the statement track “Revenant”. Led by the sampled ultrasound heartbeat of bassist Feisal El-Khazragi’s daughter on “Athena”, the opening moments of “Revenant” instantly demands your attention with fiery guitar riffs and rising synths as Kadeem France unleashes his most ferocious and terrifying vocal performance to date tackling the pressure faced during the 6 year wait of the album and the lofty ambition the band is known for and set precedent of.
‘A Stranger To You’ is a masterclass of musicianship and songwriting from all four members of the band, but it's the rhythm section of the band that stands out to me across every track on the album and truly makes the record only one Loathe could make. Drummer Sean Radcliffe is one of the best drummers in music right now, and there are countless intricacies of his performance that left me floored, such as opening fill of “Block Of Flats”, to the jazz break in “The Way It Breaks” and the polyrhythmic breakdown of “Meet Your Maker”. From the consistently changing time signatures, rhythms, tempos, and styles, his writing is incredibly creative and adds so much to each and every track. “The Way It Breaks” lays in the decimation “Revenant” left in its wake as the most emotional track on the album, and its the singing debut for Feisal El-Khazragi, who leads with a tear-jerking delivery and truly makes the song special. His most defining contribution on the album to me though is the groovy bass lick and driving force on “Fangs”, the most experimental cut. The track also has guitarist/clean vocalist Erik Bickerstaffe’s best vocal performance to date, with a soaring r&b chorus and the introduction of classical and double neck guitars to the mix.
One of my favorite moments on the album comes with “The Ladder”, a ‘70s psychedelia-influenced indie pop ballad with guest vocals from R&B songwriter Jordan Rakel. The song feels like the warm sun during golden hour on a long car ride, it's an acknowledgement that the road is soon ending, and looking back on and mournfully missing moments both present and past before they’re already gone. It's a final moment of reflection before the exhilarating climax that is the 8-minute magnum opus “Gifted Every Strength.” “Gifted" is quite possibly the best song Loathe has ever written, tying together every single sound, genre, and theme explored on the album gloriously. It's viscerally intense with devastatingly heavy guitars, yet it blends beautifully with jazz breaks and peaceful acoustic passages. Led by dense walls of guitars, tense bass rhythms and heavenly three-part vocal harmonies, the aptly-titled “No Stranger To You” is the perfect epilogue. It’s cathartic, self-aware, gentle, and bittersweet, acknowledging the lyrical and musical journey of the album whilst the band fully dives into the world of shoegaze for the first time.
‘A Stranger To You’ isn’t ‘I Let It In and It Took Everything.’ If anything, it's an incredible companion and sequel to it. Art takes time, and for Loathe that pressure that amounted over 6 years created a diamond. It's one of the most authentic albums released this year, made with so much passion and vigor. There’s so much care in every single line, note, layer, chord, hit, and strum. From the whiplash-inducing genre mash-ups, to the organic, warm, and DIY production of the album- every single piece is intentional, and it's an album that could only be made over a 6 year span of time. Loathe's dedication to authenticity, honesty, and creativity will always be admirable, and that ethos is why they are such an innovative and powerful force in the scene and will continue to be. It’s Loathe’s world and I’m so happy to be living in it.
