Manchester’s own Hot Milk have returned to the scene after an epic festival run with a brand new album A Call To The Void. This will be the band’s first studio album after an amazing run with some incredible EPs.

This album comes just before the band’s headline UK tour, with a Manchester date on 25th November 2023 at Manchester Academy, this being a huge gig for the group.

The album has already had a few singles released, two main ones being Party On My Deathbed and Bloodstream both of which I saw being performed at Download Festival this year and the performance was incredible with an insane amount of energy.

This is an eleven track record with some features added in there too, and honourable mentions. Bit of a pre-warning. It’s a bit sad and full of heartbreak so be prepared to bring on the tears.

The record starts with an intro titled Welcome To The Void with a slow build-up of guitars and backing tracks, with the vocals from Jim Shaw giving us a soft melody before introducing the vocals from Hannah Mee asking the introductory question “Am I the Darkness?”.

The second track merges perfectly and if you’ve already heard Party on my Deathbed, then you’ll love Horror Show with similar intros very fast paced, with Hannah bringing in darker and deeper vocals you can practically picture the siren like eyes that she would be giving you in this situation as she flows out these lyrics almost effortlessly. This song already is like a battle cry, you’re gonna be screaming along to this track with your eyes closed as pent up anger flows out of you. As always the backing tracks and instruments mix together perfectly. The track is so satisfying and you can feel a weight being lifted, before being thrown into fast electronic beats with deep screams from both vocalists.

Bloodstream is one of my personal favourites and since the single was released it’s been on repeat. It’s poppy and vibey, everything is so happy but you know that this is a song about letting someone that you held so tight to you go, you don’t want to but you need to because they live so deep within you. But you just smile whilst singing along to it despite the lyrics being borderline depressing and really you should be crying, but the happy beasts and beautiful vocals just bring a smile to your face. I don’t know how Hannah and Jim do this but I would sing this song with a smile on my face to my boyfriend who is very much aware of how sad this song is, but I’m just so happy singing to it, I don’t care. Personal favourite when i first heard it i was so ready to hear the rest of the album.

Party On My Deathbed is properly the one most might recognise so far, it’s the second single that they released for this album. It’s fast, it’s upbeat and you want to throw your hands in the air and throw your hair around everywhere, belting out these lyrics at a party whilst also smashing everything in sight. A song I would play in a rage room 1000%. Midway through the song, vocals change from the usual flowy melody to a more slightly fast rap style, which is when you really hear the Manc accent flow out. As the song slows down so do the vocals, but you can feel the build into flat instrumentals and only vocals just giving that satisfying ending of the song for your ears.

Alice Cooper’s Pool House, is the random mention I was talking about. This is such a random name and it’s very confusing but I’m here for it. Saying that you died in Alice Cooper’s pool house is so random but claiming that Alice Cooper has said you’ve lost your mind is a mighty flex. Already I’m seeing the rage and sadness thrown in this record, its giving me memories of Download festival, the madness, doing things you shouldn’t, random heartbreaks and out of control times with older metal heads. The ending is especially random with an Alice Cooper impression telling someone to clean Hot Milk’s dead bodies out of his pool house is not what I expected but it gives you a funny ending nonetheless. The guitar riffs on this record are so far incredible and perfectly done, especially with working with the bass it’s all put together so professionally and perfectly.

Zoned Out is one of my favourites, and I knew this the second it began. It’s way more poppy and it’s reminding me of pre 2016 happy times, before life was so stressful. I felt my heart get bigger and beat insanely fast the more I got into this track. The goosebumps flooded my body,  the vocals from Hannah and Jim are always incredible but this one just scratches the perfect part and makes you feel so alive.

The end takes a darker turn on instrumental, but to be fair it’s preparing you for the second half of the album especially when jumping into Over Your Dead Body which keeps the same tempo and vibe as Zoned Out ended, this is a song you’re singing to your ex or your ex situationship without a doubt, I have someone I would scream this song at. This song just makes you picture you doing your best and living your best life and making that negative person guilty about all the pain that they caused. Get ready to belt this out and scream this out, don’t have to be aimed at your ex this is a song to everyone who wronged you and who pissed you off. It’s heavier, it’s got harsher vocals thrown at you from Jim, giving us some rough vocals and this guy can do his darker vocals just as good as his cleans. Get ready to chant the word “DEAD!” on the tour, that’s a crowd I can’t wait to see.

The badass vibes stay around for Migraine. You stood there with all the power belting this out, and the pits for this are going to be insane! Electronic music definitely has an influence in parts of this track but then again I’m also seeing an inspiration to early PVRIS days. It’s taking me back to college listening to PVRIS and it makes me so happy to hear similar songs years later.

You are ready to get real sad, let’s tone it down and let’s get ready to cry because this is where Hot Milk makes us all really sad and cry. Breathing Underwater was released as a single leading up to the release of the album, this track makes you want to curl up in a ball and cry to every lyric. We’ve all felt the same pain before feeling so alone and that you’re drowning. The instrumentals make you feel like an opening is happening, the lyrics make you feel sad but everything mixed together makes you feel like a light is appearing and the next step is there even through the sadness. But now I’m crying thanks to Hot Milk.

The sad vibes are still there for Amphetamine feeling doused up and ploughed with drugs to make you feel sane, when it doesn’t work. The feeling of it sucking you dry and taking over you in all the wrong ways. If you’ve been on any form of Antidepressants you will relate with this song all too well. The backing track with Hannah’s vocals feel like she’s speaking for all of us as if she’s an echo speaking out to all us all. And Jim is the voice in our head that’s frustrated to all hell.

Ending the record with track number 11 is, Forget Me Not now this song made my stomach drop. I was having a good day but this ooooh took me back a few months to a negative point in my life, when I had to make some seriously hard decisions. So this one hit me a bit, some soft pianos thrown in and all the vocals are toned down with the tempo, making it hit you a lot harder.

Wanting that thing back in your life but you know it’s not the right thing for you, but missing that feeling is the loneliest feeling and it feels so hollow. This song can mix with so many of our situations with loss. Guys your vocals on this track is just beautiful and the merge together is glorious.

This is a masterpiece of an album, I’m so happy with it and it’s going to be on repeat for months. This Manchester show is going to be amazing and a mix of emotions. 10/10 album I think this band is amazing, I love how they stay true to their roots and I honestly think if you love pop punk you’re going to love every second of this album. It’s a lot of happy sad vibes and I know us emo and pop punk fans love Happy Sad vibes we’re just addicted to it.

But cheers, Hot Milk, you made me cry.

10/10

Review: Lauren Allard

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