Album Review

unpeople – we are unpeople: Hooks, Heavy Riffs and a Question of Restraint

Words by The Pit Standard

In just two years, unpeople have landed opportunities many new bands wait much longer for. From opening for Metallica to appearances at Download and support dates with Royal Blood and Don Broco, the British four-piece have built a profile before releasing their first full-length album. we are unpeople, out now via SharpTone Records, is their chance to show what they can do across an entire record.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The opening three tracks establish the band’s approach quickly. “clouds” moves from melodic vocals into heavier passages, with Jake Crawford’s harsher delivery set against Em Lodge’s cleaner vocals. “friends” follows with more aggression and an emphasis on the rhythm section, while “the garden” brings a bass-led groove that makes it one of the record’s more immediately recognisable songs. The problem is that the album lays out its defining characteristics so early that the challenge becomes finding new ways to use them.

“swallow” provides the first substantial change in direction, with more confrontational vocals and a heavier, less straightforward structure. “bottle it” takes that further, moving between aggression and melody rather than committing to either. These are effective demonstrations of the band’s range, but the repeated shifts in intensity can become predictable in themselves. Almost every song seems to have another gear waiting to be used, and the record doesn’t always need it.

The middle of the album is where the sequencing becomes particularly important. “blueprints” pulls back from the aggression, allowing the vocal harmonies and slower build to carry the song. It is a welcome change of pace, and one of the clearest examples of the band working with dynamics rather than relying on sheer force. “haunted” then returns to a more immediate, chorus-led approach. Its melodic pull is undeniable, although the contrast between these tracks also highlights how frequently the album moves between extremes.

The record’s heavier side comes through again on “look up” and “kangareuben”. The former feels less distinctive than the strongest material around it, while the latter leans into the band’s punk and alternative-rock influences with considerably more personality. “waste” and “smother”, both previously released on the band’s 2024 EP, remain strong tracks in their own right. Their inclusion makes sense, but it also means the debut is not an entirely new statement for listeners who have followed the band since those earlier releases.

“as you were” closes the album with a more expansive arrangement and prominent group vocals. It suits a band whose music is built around collective energy, though its scale is consistent with an approach the record has already established. By the final track, there is little doubt about what unpeople do well. The question is whether every song needs to reach for the same level of impact.

There is a clear identity here, built around the interplay between Crawford and Lodge, strong melodic instincts and a willingness to push into harsher territory. The influences are recognisable, particularly in the relationship between British alternative rock and post-hardcore, but there’s enough energy and personality here to keep the songs from feeling derivative.

we are unpeople is a strong debut, but not an untouchable one. Its best songs show how effective unpeople can be when melody, aggression and arrangement work together. The constant supply of hooks and changes in intensity occasionally leaves too little room for individual moments to register. The band have already demonstrated that they can command attention live. This album shows why, while leaving some room to develop a more selective approach to songwriting.