‘…it is incredibly clear that their total unwillingness to adhere to rules and expectations is a key element to their magnificent creative process…’
It may have been four years since we last received a full-length project from Leeds post-hardcore visionaries Static Dress, but that is far from saying that the four-piece have been quiet. Their debut, ‘Rogue Carpet Disaster’, was immediately hailed as a modern classic, and would see the band sign to Roadrunner Records, before extensive touring with the likes of Loathe, Bring Me The Horizon, and Paleface Swiss. Two singles, ‘crying’ and ‘face.’, were released in 2024 and 2025 respectively, although a follow-up record remained hotly anticipated.
Now, joining the likes of Bad Omens and Holding Absence on Sumerian Records, the band have finally unveiled their latest era. Accompanied by online video games, cryptic puzzles, and intimate camera-free performances, the band have continued to expand upon their multimedia approach to their artwork, but their music remains the undoubted highlight of the Static Dress experience; ‘Injury Episode’ is yet another incredible release from a band marching to the beat of their own drum.
Opening number ‘lose the rain‘ picks up where ‘Rouge Carpet Disaster‘ left off, with the repetition of the album’s dying words swirling atop of an ethereal yet somewhat claustrophobic instrumental. Then, formalities of setting the scene dealt with, the band launch into ‘questioning‘, a blistering, riotous, old-school post-hardcore rager. The dual vocals of frontman Ollie Appleyard and bassist George Holding are immediately, devestatingly impactful, with Holding’s razor sharp screams working wonders alongside Appleyard’s notably richer vocal melodies; it is incredibly clear that the band have worked hard at polishing their performances across the span of the past four years.
‘Pharmacy Film‘ stabs at the listener with a focused violence, with juggernaut thrusts of dirty guitars and immense percussion lashing out beneath a vocal performance that is surprisingly soulful. ‘Adapter‘ changes pace with a moody atmosphere that flirts with ideas from grunge; towering walls of fuzz swirl about the listener as Appleyard offers an impressively vulnerable and emotive vocal performance. An apocalyptic breakdown pummels the listener, before surging into an unexpected key change for a radiant, climactic conclusion.
‘Nostalgia Kills’ features the record’s only guest appearance, from legendary pioneers of the modern alternative scene Underoath. A brilliantly destructive array of vocals are on display here, as the track ducks and weaves through crushing breakdowns and captivating hooks. Conversely, ‘…hospice‘ was a surprising twist from the band when it released, replacing their claustrophobic chaos for a shimmering, cinematic foray into a sound that is as britpop as it is emo. Yet, the ever ingenious artists that Static Dress are, they effortlessly make this sound wholly their own; Appleyard’s ruminations on isolation and disenchantment are delivered atop of a sweeping instrumental that weaves orchestral strings between layers of dreamy guitars and snappy percussion. It is a genuinely beautiful achievement from the band, and feels certain to become a future classic within their burgeoning discography.
On ‘lip critic’, once again, the dual vocals of Appleyard and Holding are on display in their full magnificence here; genuinely spellbinding melodies frantically play with visceral screams and gorgeous harmonies, whilst “new” guitarist Vincent Weight’s razor sharp riffs gouge out incredible grooves, and Sam Ogden offers an utterly cataclysmic rhythmic backbone. Ogden is a tectonic presence throughout the record’s entirety, his complexity never feeling overbearing or disruptive to the core ideas of each track. The heaviness gets ratcheted up to new levels for the band with ‘Male-Bomb’, as Appleyard, more vulnerable than ever, issues a searing tirade against an abusive masculine presence, all set atop of an apocalyptic musical backdrop.
The violence impossibly continues to build with ‘Class.Death.Pose.‘ Visions of guns and knives are conjured up against a backdrop of blown-out guitars and Ogden’s continually monstrous work. Then, ripping the carpet out from beneath your feet, Static Dress bring the track to a head with a wall of indecipherable, distorted noise which abruptly transitions into the subdued, acoustic-led ‘Adult Diamond‘. The shimmering synth melodies that the brand sprinkle atop the track’s choruses and bridge elevate the track to something truly haunting, as Appleyard becomes wholly engulfed by the trauma of sorrowful memories.
‘human props’ made for an incredible lead single for the record, aligning ridiculously catchy choruses against searing verses, as Appleyard decried the state of modern creative spaces and the reduction of art to content to be consumed. If any track most perfectly exemplifies the identity and ethos of Static Dress, then it surely has to be ‘human props’, sonically, lyrically, and even visually demonstrating the defiant and unapologetic approach the band take to their creations. With the arrival of ‘Treading’, the album has truly reckoned with the poison of nostalgia, and as a closing statement, ‘Treading‘ works perfectly at resolving this central theme. To constantly live within the past, whether culturally, personally, or romantically, will inevitably only lead to stagnancy of the soul. To die is not necessarily to stop living; the willingness to kill elements of one’s own self is essential for growth.
Static Dress’ continual rejection of adhering to expectations of anybody other than themselves is a mindset that undoubtedly many other creatives could learn from. Certainly, ‘Injury Episode‘ is a record that follows on from ‘Rouge Carpet Disaster‘ in many ways, but this is far, far from the band retreading the same old ground; it is the sound of a band that is bigger, bolder, and yet more vulnerable than ever before, perfectly balancing their lore-filled multimedia escapades with an introduction to Static Dress as humans.
There’s perhaps a distinct irony in reviewing a record that disavows maddening online discourse and parasitic figures within creative spaces that will take and take until it can bleed no more; it is difficult as an aspiring writer within the music realm not to reflect upon whether your platform is even necessary, let alone beneficial towards creative spaces. Frankly, there is a hope that Static Dress continue to block out the noise and care very little about what us reviewing folk have to say about their record; it is incredibly clear that their total unwillingness to adhere to rules and expectations is a key element to their magnificent creative process. Death to the overground.
RATING: 86/100
For Fans Of: Loathe, My Chemical Romance, Moodring, Thornhill, I Promised The World
Physical copies of the record are available to purchase here.
Follow the band on social media below:
VINYL FANTASY REVIEWS 
Leave a comment