Release date: 15th May 2026
Sometimes you get sent a promo release that sounds so incredible and blows you away so much that you immediately want more – and that’s exactly what happened with alt. when I was sent their single Passage for coverage a few weeks ago. And after subsequently enjoying all that alt. had to offer in their back catalogue, I eagerly awaited the release of their brand new EP Nevermore – and it was even better than I could have hoped.
Despite Nevermore just being an EP, the way they weave such an extensive story throughout the six tracks is truly something to behold. As mentioned in my previous single review, a quick summary of Nevermore is that it tells the tale of the wealthy fleeing a dying earth that has been torn apart by war, corruption and greed, leaving everyone else to basically fight to survive – but honestly, you really need to listen to the EP itself for the story to get under your skin.
Opener Twenty Seventy-Three (which is the year that Nevermore takes place) sets the mood for Nevermore perfectly. There’s a vague hint of optimism, but it mixed in with a festering murmur of something dark lurking underneath – the track itself sounds pretty light and airy, but when you dive into the lyrics you really get a sense of that overarching theme of fear and despair. It’s very clever songwriting, and this continues over the course of Nevermore‘s duration, with the darkness and desperation to escape building to closing track Sucker Punch, which is a very rage-fuelled track where everything reaches fever pitch and climaxing in confrontation of where everything went wrong.
Gripping storyline aside, on a purely musical level, Nevermore goes exceptionally hard as well. They’ve Always Lived In The Castle is the strongest track for me personally and I’ve not been able to stop listening to it. The intro draws you in and the song is such an earworm that you can’t just listen to it once – it’s an addictive listen you’ll want to go back to over and over again.
Honestly, Nevermore is one of those breathtaking EPs that don’t come around too often – it really knocked me for six (with a Sucker Punch, if you will!) and I genuinely cannot stop listening to it. It’s such an intriguing and immersive little piece that really plays on the band’s strengths and will stay with you for long after you’re done listening. This is a really special piece of art.
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