‘…the rawness and creativity that made them so originally captivating remains in place, but is now delivered in a manner that feels like a band ready to truly make a name for themselves…’
Mainz based alternative trio Sharpened.Lives have returned with their second single of 2025. The DIY outfit pride themselves on refusing to fit into a creative box, with a sound that incorporates everything from industrial to pop punk, hardcore to progressive rock. Earlier this year saw the blisteringly cathartic political anthem ‘a whole new world (jasmine’s version)‘ released by the band, targeting the continued rise of fascism, bolstered by police state cultures, in the west; it was undoubtedly their heaviest work to date, and offered a brilliant showcase of what the band are capable of at these musical extremes.
‘rabbit/hole‘ sees Sharpened.Lives move their sound in a rather more emo direction, with deeply compelling, bittersweet melodies sprawling out atop of punchy riffs and infectious rhythms. Bass lines thunder throughout the track with a ferocious tone and depth, enabling the breakdowns that the track vaults into to carry a real sense of immensity and violence. Choruses are sprinkled with undeniably catchy hooks, bolstered by gorgeously implemented backing vocals that add some much appreciated softness to the track’s otherwise angular sonic design.
Vocalist Alex Loeb continues to serve as a fantastically compelling frontperson for the outfit, with strident sung melodies being complimented by powerful screams that plunge to guttural lows by the track’s conclusion. The themes of complicity, class consciousness, and genocide are played out with bitter sorrow, as Loeb acknowledges that it often seems as though hope is all that remains when facing a system that ensures real action remains illegitimately unlawful.
This is perhaps the most polished and well-executed of Sharpened.Lives’ works to date; the rawness and creativity that made them so originally captivating remains in place, but is now delivered in a manner that feels like a band ready to truly make a name for themselves. It serves as a perfect sonic contrast to the bludgeoning aggression of ‘a whole new world (jasmine’s version)‘, yet continues to develop on those themes in versatile and inventive ways. If you have yet to check out Sharpened.Lives, ‘rabbit/hole‘ makes for the perfect entry point.
For Fans Of: Blackout Problems, My Chemical Romance, Enter Shikari, Bring Me The Horizon, Love Is Noise
Follow the band on social media below:
VINYL FANTASY REVIEWS 
Leave a comment