It’s been a transformative few years for SOFT PLAY (fka. Slaves).
Having established themselves as one of the most formidable punk outfits to front the UK festival scene over the past decade, the group went into an indefinite hiatus following the death of guitarist Laurie Vincent’s longtime girlfriend, Emma Jane Mulholland.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
So, when the band announced their return under a new name and released the fiery callout anthem Punk’s Dead, challenging claims that their rebranding was merely a publicity stunt, it undoubtedly created a stir. Then, on HEAVY JELLY, the lads decided to double down further.
Unrelentingly aggressive and unapologetically crass, the boys are back, and this time, it’s with a vengeance. As soon as it kicks off you’re faced with Isaac Holman’s spit hitting the microphone with each discordant snarl introducing opener ‘All Things’. Quickly after, ‘Act Violently’ urges you to do just that, hitting you in the face with jagged staccato riffs, frantic tempo changes and System of a Down chaotic energy, before ‘Mirror Muscles’ comes along to deliver the duo’s heaviest effort to date.
Although, while slating and provocative, the duo’s message avoids feeling contrived or preachy. Instead, each track is doused with a healthy dose of caustic wit, delivering class-clown lyrics that tackle serious topics, very unseriously – albeit with an extreme level of aggression.
While the blueprint was already laid out, a name change has seemingly seen Slaves transform into a completely new outfit, and to be honest, if it came down to it, SOFT PLAY could beat the shit out of Slaves.
Listen to HEAVY JELLY for SOFT PLAY here.
Label: Good Intent
Release Date: Out Now
