As is so often the case, something unexpectedly positive can emerge from moments of crisis. The Miss May I are no exception to this unwritten artistic rule, and following what frontman Levi Benton himself described as a “full-blown midlife crisis“, we find the American band in better shape than ever, completely at ease in delivering a masterclass in modern, eclectic metalcore and alternative metal. Starting from the album’s closing track, “Highbrow Thieves“, with its relentless rhythm driving toward a dazzling coda that, like a motivational mantra, reminds us that “No, you won’t take a thing from me, You’re gonna have to kill me”, tells you everything you need to know about the mood of a record that is muscular, rich in melodic nuance, yet always sharply focused on translating the neuroses of everyday life into metalcore. The band are consistently in their element, reaching particularly impressive peaks on the merciless “Fire Falls“,which will, we’d bet anything, be absolutely explosive live, “Sanctuary” and “Bury Me Down” A solid record that will delight existing Miss May I fans and, we are equally certain, will reel in new ones too, thanks to a freshness and dynamism that is genuinely hard to match.
No Place For Me (2026 – Solid State)
