Formed in 2018, by pinching guitarist and vocalist Cami right off remote farmlands of Argentina, Beach Riot have been on a steady upward streak. Their debut tracks were picked up by many stations and shows, including Daniel P. Carter’s BBC Rock Show and Alex Baker’s Kerrang Fresh Blood to name a couple. Just before the pandemic hit, the guys have signed up to Alcopop! Records and since life as we know it stopped for a few weeks and then months, the quartet got busy working to complete their debut Sub Atomic Party Cool. Originally completed what feels like eons back in 2020, the band had the time to perfect each track and finesse the sound; and it really shows. Grungy, fuzzy, and fun, this album introduces the band in full measure and shows how much potential these guys have.
‘B.A.D.’ kicks off the album with killer riffs and livewire energy, a perfect intro and the indication of the album to follow. ‘Wrong Impression’ continues with distorted guitars and a catchy chorus making it’s impossible to sit still and not to jam along. ‘Good to Know’ comes in with slightly lighter and bouncier guitars, and brings in a nostalgic note as it reminisces on the past relationship. ‘Modern Dinosaur’ then comes in with a more playful and cynical outlook, and develops into a loud and more intense piece as guitars and drums reach full potential. One of the main highlights of the record ‘Wraith’ brings in some great storytelling and despite its bleak content, it’s a real banger with a killer chorus and amazing vocals from both Rory and Cami. Incredibly catchy and energetic, it’s a real earworm to say the least.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2lEPXbwLQk
The following track ‘Unrequited Love’ changes the pace completely, going into moody and even eerie grounds. Opaque unison vocals charm and enwrap – this unexpected sound suits the band well and shows a different side to a band many would presume stay in their lane. ‘Medicate for Success’ picks up the pace once again to kick off the second part of the album. The song showcases the band’s signature energetic riffy sound in brilliant form before ‘Faze’ then opens up with grungy vibes and warped guitars. ‘Sofa Surfer’ is another one of album’s singles and here band goes into more of a pop-rock territory but without losing the focus. Cami and Rory’s vocals work together perfectly, creating layers of sound and depth to this reluctantly gloomy composition and it’s in these tracks that the chemistry shared between the two truly becomes palatable.
‘She’s A Hurricane’ speeds up significantly as to give justice to its name, and continues full throttle. ‘Blush’ follows with powerful riffs and melodic vocals, creating a nice contrast between shredding loud guitars and softer voices. Beach Riot finish off the album with ‘Serial Scruff’, the track inspired by the endless documentaries doing the rounds on serial killers. Slightly ominous when thinking about the premise, but this song cools down the pace nicely and wraps up on guitar fading out.
Beach Riot show some great variety and style on their debut record. Fuzzy and grungy, this album presents superb technical mastery along with fun and relatable content. Thematically it doesn’t focus on anything in particular but rather covers the whole range of subjects, and it works nicely. Beach Riot talk about life through their unique prism of grungy, slightly cynical yet positive attitude. Sub Atomic Party Cool contains some real gems and its energy transcends beyond the headphones – this album will undoubtedly sound simply banging live. There’s absoutely no denying that the band have a bright future ahead of them and now the pandemic has scaled down they can continue their upward journey without hinderance.