Album review: Hot Milk – A CALL TO THE VOID

This doesn’t feel like Hot Milk’s debut album. Then again, maybe that’s part of the point. The Mancunian duo have been kicking about for a few years now, not only growing as a band, but growing in themselves (and charming the Foo Fighters while they were at it). It was all part of the plan – over the course of three EPs, they honed the craft of writing gold-plated anthems. Now their debut is here, it seems that going the way of the tortoise instead of the hare has seemingly paid dividends for them.

Right from the starting gun, Hot Milk’s objective is clear: to sound as massive as possible. The soaring introduction WELCOME TO THE… feels cinematic in scope as it mounts in intensity, paving the way for the thunderous Molotov cocktail of angst that is HORROR SHOW, a sterling example of what this band can do with the chunkiest of riffs. From there, they start a party in the wry, charismatic manner that only they can with the electro-rock riot of PARTY ON MY DEATHBED and the gleefully silly ALICE COOPER’S POOL HOUSE – it’s stupidly catchy and slick as hell.

However, it’s in the second half of this record where Hot Milk hide the unexpected gems. OVER MY DEAD BODY is a thumping, knives-out rager with an unexpected theatrical touch thanks to the soft trill of violins, while MIGRAINE’s synth-soaked verses give way to barbed screams and a spiky chorus in one of the album’s most creative moments. Meanwhile, the turbulent BREATHING UNDERWATER sears with white-hot emotion, making for not only Hot Milk’s strongest ballad to date, but perhaps one of the best songs they’ve ever committed to record.

Indeed, there’s plenty of songs here it could share that title with, and for all the struggle that was poured into their manufacture, Hot Milk have delivered the triumphant debut they’d always hoped to.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Bring Me The Horizon, Stand Atlantic, VUKOVI

A CALL TO THE VOID is out now 25 via Music For Nations. We're throwing an album-release party in London on September 5 – tickets are available now when you order any variant of Hot Milk's new album.