“clouds”, the album’s first single, is the perfect introduction to what unpeople are all about. A heavy, fun tune built around call-and-response vocals, its upbeat energy feels almost surreal against lyrics about feeling lost and inhibited. The surrealism is central to the band’s entire identity, making it a fitting way to kick things off. Then comes the breakdown at the end, which veers into unexpected black metal territory and feels like a reward for listeners. “friends” follows a similar path, with huge singalong potential and a breakdown that hits just as hard without feeling out of place. Both tracks are a reminder that unpeople are anything but generic indie-rock.

The instant classic live staple “the garden” follows through like a runaway freight train. It takes a real belter of a tune to have an entire crowd singing along to a riff, and it’s hard to listen to it without picturing guitarist Luke Caley being crowdsurfed around a circle pit. It’s the kind of track that feels just as massive through your headphones as it does in a room full of people losing their minds.

Finally, we’re onto the new material. “swallow” opens with a distinctly conversational, almost talk-sung vocal delivery before launching into something that feels like modern Britpop with a hefty dose of heaviness. The low end is particularly impressive, helping separate unpeople from the crowd. “bottle it” has been a live staple for months, and its Weezer-esque approach makes for one of the most ridiculously catchy moments on the record.

“blueprints” offers a softer side to the band, dipping into melancholy with a soft-rock ballad that feels completely at home amongst the riffs. Meanwhile, “haunted” channels that distinctly nostalgic 2000s pop-culture era, where gritty, grungy rock wouldn’t feel out of place on a coming-of-age TV soundtrack.

The album pulls the classic track “waste” from the original EP, an unpeople staple, with all the ingredients for a massive singalong and huge moshpits. “look up” takes things in a more metal-oriented direction (probably the heaviest track on the album) with an absolutely monstrous bassline and backing vocals that add even more weight. “kangareuben” then provides a frantic, fast-paced burst of energy, keeping things moving before “smother” arrives.

Having also featured on their original EP, “smother” feels like a defining moment for unpeople, with that iconic riff hitting just as hard here. It’s a reminder of what made the band so exciting in the first place, now cemented as one of their signature tracks.

“as you were” closes the album with an obvious nod to Disturbed’s “Down with the Sickness”. It’s hilariously tongue-in-cheek that a band doing something so unique would pay homage to such a classic of the metal genre, but it works brilliantly. Riffs, pounding drums, a filthy bassline and gang vocals built for a crowd to shout back at them all come together to neatly wrap the album up in a bow.

we are unpeople feels like a love letter to everything that makes this band what they are, from the gang vocals built for a crowd to the riffs that have become their signature. In a scene where so many alternative bands are beginning to sound the same, unpeople’s refusal to follow the herd is incredibly refreshing. Their ideology of “we are all unpeople” is woven throughout the record, and by the time it comes to a close, you can’t help but feel part of it.

10/10 – we are unpeople is everything a debut album should be, capturing the sheer chaos of unpeople’s live show while showcasing a band unafraid to do things differently. An utterly refreshing release that proves exactly why they’re one of the most exciting names in rock right now.

Words: Adrian Chapman