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We are deep in 2022 and the cycle of yet another week with yet another killer UNFD release by yet another Aussie band pushing the limits of what modern heavy music could sound like, just goes on. You will be forgiven to think that newcomers Banks Arcade are just another cog in the wheel of their well-oiled machine, but trust me these guys are here to break the wheel with a stellar debut that will make you remember their name for good.
Originally from New Zealand but operating bethween their Auckland home and Melbourne HQ, Banks Arcade revealed their potential with two pretty solid self-released EPs Endnone (2018) and Fever Dreams (2020) that naturally attracted the attention of local trendsetter UNFD. Over the course of the last 2 years, the 4-piece seemingly let their creative juices flow strong with no boundaries or breaks, leading to Future Lovers becoming a next-gen blend of all that is great about modern metal, electronic, pop and everything inbetween.
Nowadays, an imaginative album by a band that mixes genres and experiments with their sound is like getting a mojito at a bar - pretty much everyone does it, but very few bartenders manage to nail just the right balance without being too sweet or sour. In Banks Arcade, I have found one of my favourite contemporary mixologists and fully intend to stick to them in the upcoming years, especially if their fresh debut is an indication of what is to come ahead. And according to a recent interview for Kerrang, this is only the beginning!
The way Future Lovers officially introduces their freshly moulded sound to the world is nothing short of brilliant. Great but somewhat hesitant, Endnote showed that distinctive Aussie-core base with certain British flavour, influenced by the likes of early Northlane and Architects, then the bolder Fever Dreams expanded their pool and hinted towards where Banks Arcade were going. And now, Future Lovers explodes in a barrage of traditions and tropes that rarely sound so sleek together, not to mention so natural and authentic.
The record is as much a collective win as it is the display of individual moments of brilliance. Harlam Allen Jones' throbbing bass makes Future Lovers sound deep and powerful, Jason Meadows' catchy melodies and groovy riffs shine throughout, James Feekes keeps the drumming tight and rhythmic with occasional bursts of uncontainable energy, while frontman Joshua O'Donnell's gives it that much-needed variety with a stunning vocal range that sees him equally comfortable with furious growls and rap tirades as with gentle verses. Raw, fresh and invigorating, one can hardly dream of a better debut than Future Lovers.
Shifting gears and vibes constantly, the record is moody, jumpy and pulsating from start to finish, a reflection of our daily emotions and struggles. Much like all of us, it is equally angry, sad and desperate, as it is happy, energetic and optimistic, the songs echoing all of this with refreshing diversity and clever arrangements. When it slows down, Future Lovers gets gentle, intimate and ethereal, but on its raging episodes it becomes a unstable concoction of chaotic screams, dynamic riffage and ruthless breakdowns.
On its manic heavier edge are modern electronic-/metalcore pit-startes like the lead single 'Don't Start' and 'Fake Your Death', the groovy anthems 'Smile', 'Spark' and 'System Failed', and the nu-metal-infused bangers 'Used' and 'Freaks'. On the other, more alternative and straight-up poppy side are the cinematic title opener, the mezmerizing 'Ether', its darker echoes 'Trip' and 'Medicine', and the rock finale 'Wine'. And somewhere inbetween all of that is 'Be Someone' or Banks Arcade at their most imaginative, vulnerable and honest selves.
If we get picky, Future Lovers might need just a tiny bit of flair and polish to claim the Album of the Year title, but even in its current raw and volatile form is a solid contender and a faultless debut by one of metal's future heroes. Listening to what Banks Arcade have done in the past and the way they sound matured in just a couple of years, I have no doubts that with consistent work and few more doses of that signature frenzy, they will get to the very top of the international scene.
P.S. 'Chosen', the official soundtrack of the Rainbow 6 Oceanic Nationals 2022, is a certified banger and would have sounded absolutely insane in Future Lovers, go check it out!
Banks Arcade - Future Lovers
Country: Australia/New Zealand
Released: 29 July 2022
Label: UNFD
Tracklisting:
1. 'Future Lovers'
2. 'Freaks'
3. 'Fake Your Death'
4. 'Smile'
5. 'Ether'
6. 'Spark'
7. 'Be Someone'
8. 'Used'
9. 'System Failed'
10. 'Trip'
11. 'Don't Start'
12. 'Medicine'
13. 'Wine'
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