ALBUM REVIEW: Tear ‘Em To Bits – AWOL

AWOL came together as a need to release; after a lengthy and strict lockdown period in Australia, the Melbourne five-piece began making muscle popping hardcore that could break its way through the toughest of walls. At the time, it was easy to be labelled a lockdown band, and it still is, but instead of spewing unhelpful tracks around lockdowns itself, like the majority of unsuccessful pandemic ballads, AWOL focused on what they had festering already, and it’s turned into magnificent aggression on their debut album Tear ‘Em To Bits.

There’s a similar air about AWOL as there is about SPEED, not because they’re both Australian bands, it’s genuine and gives an unbreakable sense of unity between their members, “As one we win and as one we fight” charges the chorus of their flagship track Awol, giving the record that solid foundation it needs from the beginning. As a whole, it’s a constant purging of struggle and fraught; Who You Were is an adrenaline pumping hunt fuelled by betrayal, Kingdom concerns itself with police brutality and fighting back against what can be known as the biggest gang in the world. There’s introspective themes to be found as well, like dealing with the effects of substance misuse on Fall From Grace, delivering a welcome moment of vulnerability for what can seem like an unstoppable machine from afar. 

Hardcore can be fickle despite how straight forward it can seem — it literally feels like every hardcore band shout about pummelling forward and proactiveness to whatever situation is at hand — but it’s so situational for a listener, maybe that’s why it’s so good to be inundated with new start ups and get well involved with your local scene. You have the freedom to listen and discover what it is you connect with, and AWOL have done a good job at turning their bubbling feelings about everything that caught up in the blockages of lockdown into something people can relate to and start thinking that they’d be silly to pass up on an opportunity to see them in the flesh. 

The debut album isn’t the exciting part though, it’s damn tight and solid, but without getting ahead of yourselves, what comes next is the exciting part. It’s mystifying how they’ve put Tear ‘Em To Bits together, the structure is almost flawless and each track flows effortlessly into the next like it’s been carved out for them. With the band having only been about for a few years and with only one EP to their name and now having their debut album come out and it being this solid is great, but it isn’t stunning. It’s close, but not quite. The variety, sonically, is lacking but sets them up for this shocking improvement of what is currently a small glimmer of what they have potential for. It’s just the beginning for AWOL.

Rating: 7/10

Tear ‘Em To Bits is out now via Flatspot Records/Last Ride Records.

Follow AWOL on Twitter.