Revealed by the California hardcore scene, Scowl quickly outgrew the narrow frame of the genre. The Santa Cruz band, led by singer Kat Moss, have made the porousness between hardcore, grunge and alternative rock their hallmark. Are We All Angels pushes this evolution further still: it is the record of an avowed transformation, where the original rage cohabits with a growing melodic sense.
The critics (an 82 average across eight reviews) hailed the ambition of a band that refuses to be boxed in. Kat Moss, whose voice moves from a raw scream to clean singing without a break, embodies this duality: Scowl want both to hit and to seduce, to preserve their punk energy while opening to a wider audience.
Musically, the record alternates hardcore flashes and more melodic breathing spaces, at times evoking 1990s alternative rock — an avowed grunge heritage, between distortion and clarity. The production, broader than before, gives the compositions air without blunting their edge.
This grand split is not without risk. Some will regret that Scowl move away from the brutality of their beginnings, while others will judge the moult still unfinished, caught between two waters. The reproach is audible: Are We All Angels is a transitional record whose finest promises remain partly to be confirmed.
Verdict: 8/10. A brave, endearing record, where one senses a band finding its voice. The moult is promising.
