More about: Nothing But Thieves

Following the release of their groundbreaking third studio album Moral Panic in October last year, alternative rocks heroes Nothing But Thieves satisfied their fans’ musical hunger yet again with the announcement of a Moral Panic II. Written after the production of their previous release, the five-piece’s striking new addition to their discography transforms the sound of a band we thought we knew so well.

In every great band’s lifetime, there inevitably arises the question: ‘Where can we take our sound next?’ Having previously released three chart-dominating albums, Nothing But Thieves revealed in an interview that the journey with the themes of their latest record Moral Panic was not over: thus emerged a part II to accompany the collection.

Unleashing a more bombastic, heavier and bold musical approach, each song on this EP hits the listener like the force of a train, with the first track ‘Futureproof’ embodying the feeling of a thousand fireworks being released at once. With a feisty entrance driven by a cacophony of distorted guitars and a pulsating kit, the record is off to a strong start from the very first second. 

‘If I Were You’ produces the same dynamic energy, whilst introducing a robotic and mechanical approach to the rhythmic elements of the song. Did somebody say Nine Inch Nails? 

Having clearly thought about the many intricate, electronic, synth decorations that the band could experiment with, ‘Miracle, Baby’ uses plenty to create a texture that bursts with transient synth layers, evoking an almost futuristic atmosphere. If you listen closely to the song’s beginning— which is driven by a fuzzy, subwoofer synth bass sound—the quintet have managed to produce a similar technique to that used in the Smashing Pumpkins’ song ‘Ava Adore’. Perhaps it would only be fair to critique the quantity of textural features thrown into the mix of the song; sometimes there’s just a little too much phaser utilised to embellish certain elements. Needless to say, this number definitely deserved to be celebrated with a lyric video that accompanied the song’s release as the second single from the EP. 

It has to be said Nothing But Thieves are masters at creating tension within their music that always resolves beautifully, and both the tracks ‘Ce N’est Rien’ and ‘Your Blood’ are prime examples of this technique. Taking listeners down a completely new sonic avenue, ‘Ce n’est Rien’ creates mesmerising contrasts between steady, progressive verses and chaotic chorus lines that incorporate metal-esque, roaring vocals from frontman Connor Mason - this is completely new territory for the band, but there is something so infectiously spellbinding about it too! As if Nothing But Thieves could not have conquered enough musical boundaries, this fiery track is a mosh pit lovers’ dream. 

Arguably, 'Your Blood' is Nothing But Thieves at their very best, and though melancholy in nature, this seemingly more acoustic addition to the EP is an extremely captivating portrayal of Mason’s phenomenal vocal talent. One may even say that with the introduction of glorious choral backing synths against Mason’s vocals and the prevailing acoustic guitar, there are remnants of Radiohead’s song ‘Exit Music (For A Film)’ running throughout the track. However, the real spectacle of the song is its journey, beginning as a pensive, almost apocalyptic and eerie track, and then ending triumphantly with the same distorted wall of sounds that feature throughout each song on the EP. 

With this unexpected EP release highly anticipated, fans should rest assured that they will not be dissatisfied by this compelling new chapter from Nothing But Thieves. 

Moral Panic II is out now.

More about: Nothing But Thieves