Written by Hannah Clough
Asbury Park, New Jersey natives Latewaves are set to drop their debut album “Hell To Pay” via Know Hope Records on June 4th, 2021. This release couldn’t have come at a better time. With classes ending and anxiety skyrocketing, it’s the perfect way to alleviate unnecessary stress.
After announcing the album along with their first single “Extra Pale,” the group has been busy preparing for the album and their hard work definitely paid off. Each track has a place and purpose; it wouldn’t make sense any other way.
The opening track starts off with a guitar riff full of energy, thus making this one of the best numbers overall. Without missing a beat, “Stroke of Luck” carries the same energy instrumentally while breaking through this fear of career failure. As someone who let people try and dictate my future, this message was an eye opener.
“I’m Alright” gives listeners a chance to breathe with its mellow vibe. Like every piece in this release, mental health is a strong recurring theme. Latewaves have not been shy when it comes to heavier topics in the past, so one can't expect anything less when it comes to “Hell To Pay”.
The album tracks open themselves to some interpretation, but they all carry a strong message. One might find themselves unintentionally digging for that deeper meaning while listening.
“Guaranteed Burnouts” personally hit a little too close to home. With the semester having just ended, it’s hard to feel anything but burnt out. This song is good for releasing all that anger and built-up rage. The next track, “Send Me To The Moon,” is a complete 180, throwing nothing but cheerful vibes around. Everything from the vocals to the subtle groovy guitar will wash away any leftover negativity.
Nearing the end now, “Too Much”, “Almost Famous”, and “Acting Out” pick up that cathartic energy seen at the beginning and evenly distribute it between each track. This is the final burst of power before things slow down with the title track “Hell To Pay”. It’s not uncommon in this scene to end an album with an acoustic track, but in Latewaves’ case, they couldn’t have picked a better note to end on.
All in all, this 11-track release was a valiant effort from the band, and they can only go up from here! You don’t want to miss what’s coming next so make sure to follow them on Twitter @latewaves and check out their offical merch store for physical copies of Hell To Pay, including an awesome vinyl variant.
Hell To Pay is available on any preferred streaming platform now! Don’t forget to tweet us @lgndsoftmrw and let us know what your favorite track is.
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