Howlers - Heavy (CD)

Following a period of transition at the end of 2024, The Howlers entered a new phase, with frontman Adam Young rebuilding the project as a two-piece alongside drummer Toby Richards - a shift that redefined both the band's sound and creative direction, bringing a renewed sense of focus and identity. That reset came off the back of a breakthrough year. Their self-funded debut album What You've Got To Lose To Win It All landed to widespread European acclaim, breaking into the UK Independent Breakers Charts Top 10 while securing multiple positions across independent, vinyl and physical sales charts. Radio support followed from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Radio X and Absolute Radio, alongside international backing and editorial playlisting across Apple Music and Spotify. That momentum translated directly to the stage. A sold-out 18-date UK headline tour established the band as one of the country's most exciting live acts, followed by a European run that saw them sell out shows across eight countries - road-testing new material that would ultimately shape what came next. Where that debut was defined by grief and personal loss, Heavy emerges from a very different place. Driven by the tension between desire and consequence, recklessness and reality, it's an album lit by the pull of the night, the thrill of impulse and the cold clarity that follows. Written and produced alongside long-time collaborator Chris Ostler (Black Honey), the record deliberately sidesteps traditional studio methods. Instead, it was built remotely - with demos, ideas and reworked compositions exchanged across digital platforms - stripping everything back while pushing each track to it's strongest form. Only in the final stages did the band enter rehearsal spaces to capture live drums, grounding it's more experimental edges with a raw, physical energy. Young adds: ""This album is those late night experiences, the after dark conversations, late night phone calls, the seductive nature of impulsiveness that seems so alluring and losing yourself in the addictive nature of recklessness - but it's also the mirror in the morning, the wake up call, and the harsh reality of knowing those feelings won't always last. It's the moment you find yourself again."" For a band that has always worn it's honesty as a badge of honour - and built a fiercely loyal following on the back of it - Heavy feels like the album The Howlers were always moving towards. With an extensive UK and European headline tour to follow, 2026 is shaping up to be the year they fully arrive.