Six years of waiting, and one of the most impressive critical receptions of the year: 82/100 across eight reviews for A Stranger To You. Kerrang! drops the 5/5, calling it « a transcendent work that stands as one of 2026’s most original – and best – releases »; NME (9/10) hails « an innovative, exhilarating record of finely tuned modern heavy music ». The Liverpudlians took their time, and it shows: « like slow-cooked food, the longer it’s in the oven, the deeper the flavours », quips Kerrang!.
What unites everyone is the devouring ambition: metal, shoegaze, R&B, soul, post-rock, jazz piano. Distorted Sound (8/10) puts it well: « few bands are this ambitious in their execution, and few are able to juggle this many sounds this well. » Highlights abound, from « Gifted Every Strength » to « Gemini », up to the closer « No Stranger To You » that everyone agrees on.
The fault line is the production. Pitchfork (5.5/10) finds the record « hampered by its own omnivorous ambition and bafflingly muddy production », and even Distorted Sound concedes a dry sound that sometimes smothers the riffs, plus some skippable ambient interludes. With the public at 78/100 across 2,000-plus ratings, the verdict lands: 2026’s great art-metalcore record, imperfect exactly where it takes risks. 8.