That message is reinforced by the performances on the record, which would have felt outlandish if not for their complete conviction and sincerity. Luke’s vocals are powerful, often full-force, and he switches it up to different styles from the growly delivery on aggressive opener Celebration to the more relaxed tone of sunny Undefeated. The guitar parts are equally dynamic. Undefeated’s solo is delightfully over-the-top. Celebration briefly trades in crunchy electric for lighter acoustic guitar towards the end. Turnstile-esque Free Rein To Passions is built around a bouncy riff.
That variation doesn’t always serve them, though. Album closer The Light The Void And Everything doesn’t quite fit in with the previous nine tracks, veering towards the melodramatic and cliché – without adding anything to the album’s message lyrically – and ending the record on a low note.
Elsewhere, Free Rein To Passions strikes a balance between joking around and being vulnerable – it embodies the thinking that sometimes laughing at life is the best option, and it’ll have listeners smiling and screaming along too.
Verdict: 3/5
For fans of: Weezer, Drug Church, Turnstile
Free Rein To Passions is released on May 26 via Dine Alone