It’s been nine years since A Wilhelm Scream released Partycrasher – an eleven-song banger of an album that expanded upon the hardcore sensibilities of its predecessor Career Suicide. Now, after nearly a decade of touring, the New Bedford, MA progressive punk quintet has finally offered some fresh material with their newest release Lose Your Delusion (Creator-Destructor). 

Though you could argue that it most closely resembles 2005’s ultra-melodic Ruiner, Lose Your Delusion is by far the most experimental the band has ever been. Many songs feature a brighter overall tone both musically and lyrically than we’ve come to expect – periodically even veering into an almost playful territory – and yet there’s a bold sense of maturity, sentimentality, and confidence residing within. Repeated listens begin to reveal an unbelievably creative album from a group of dudes who are completely unwilling to stagnate.

This is perhaps best realized in the upbeat single ‘GIMMETHESHAKES’, which mesmerizes with its sing-along chorus and refuses to be evacuated from the brain. It’s a revitalizing change of pace that flirts with pop without sacrificing the edge that has defined the band over the years. Similarly, the optimistic anthem ‘Be One To Know One’ provides some fun harmonies and guitar work as its lyrics take listeners through the process of overcoming depression.

‘Figure Eights in My Head’ also capitalizes on the experimental vibe with a smorgasbord of quirky hooks and intriguing transitions packed into just over two minutes, while catchy tunes like ‘Yo Canada’, ‘Acushnet Avenue At Night’, and the title track are signature A Wilhelm Scream pulse-pounders reminiscent of the Mute Print era. 

Meanwhile, ‘…And Big Nasty Was His Name-O’ and ‘Apocalypse Porn’ are more frenetic hardcore romps with vocals and instrumentation that feel a bit out of place among the rest of the tracks. But while they may have worked better as standalone singles, both nevertheless assert themselves with passionate vocals and some lyrical doozies that are destined to produce fan-favorite quotes.

Lose Your Delusion isn’t A Wilhem Scream’s most technical album, but sees the band successfully pushing the boundaries of their classic sound with a genuinely unique collection of songs. This is at once the band we’ve loved for decades and a new dawn for these punk rock legends. I’m just really damn glad to hear from them again, and I hope there’s plenty more to come.

Buy the album here: https://creatordestructor.com/products/preorder-a-wilhelm-scream-lose-your-delusion-yellow-blue-marble-2nd-pressing

9 / 10

BILLY GIVENS