Scowl - Are We All Angels (2025) Hi-Res

Originating in the Santa Cruz, California, hardcore and punk scenes, Scowl has always been a band on their own path, ready to blossom into realms beyond. After a series of promising releases that nodded clearly and effectively at influences ranging from Sonic Youth to Teenage Fanclub to Hole to Breeders, in between tracks influenced by the likes of INFEST, Negative Approach and Agonistic Front, Scowl started to attract attention from the indie rock and even the mainstream rock worlds. Are We All Angels is the band's long-awaited second album, and first for new label Dead Oceans. It's also (we knew this was coming) their first LP with very few hardcore vocals.

Hardcore has historically had a growing-up problem since day one, with its inability to evolve gracefully and fans' resistance to change. But as hardcore has aged, so have some of its "rules." The term has become a scene signifier rather than a specific sound, with tons of blurred lines for interpretation. While Kat Moss's growling vocals are mostly gone, Scowl's canines are no less dull and their rancor shines brighter than ever—leaving any possible trepidation towards a more "palatable" sound null and void.

Despite their roots, Scowl wears their '90s alt badge proudly throughout the eleven tracks, recalling bands like L7, Belly, and Elastica. Are We All Angels opens with "Special," a Veruca Salt-meets-Helmet scorcher that hits you right in those '90s high school feels, opining about conformity and finding your own path. It's followed by "B.A.B.E.," a punk track that takes hard turns with harmonics leading the way à la Quicksand or Snapcase. Frankly, all of this doesn't sound that far removed from some of the band's more melodic material from earlier releases. If this was 1994, there's no doubt that Scowl would have made the "Buzz Bin."