It’s been three years since New Jersey psych-rock duo Ho99o9 blessed us with their industrial punk album SKIN. Soon after, they shifted gears, softening the tone with their Ho99o9 Presents Territory: Turf Talk, Vol. II, a mixtape that delved deeper into the hip-hop genre.
Now, two years later, the duo returns with their third studio album, Tomorrow We Escape. Sonically, it’s another genre-bending chapter in their discography. At its core, though, the album explores themes of liberation and self-expression, using music as the creative vessel.
Tomorrow We Escape was sculpted between Los Angeles and Paris, with Ho99o9 revisiting some of their earliest ideas and breathing new life into them. Fittingly, the theme of rebirth carries through to the album cover art, which features a winged woman gazing longingly into the distance. Even before the first note graces your ears, the imagery sets the tone—raw, vulnerable, and full of yearning.
The opener, “I Miss Home” is a brief but powerful introduction. Layered with distorted sounds and soft-spoken words, it feels ethereal, almost dreamlike. From its first breath, the track welcomes the feelings of nostalgia and escapism. The track also establishes core themes of self-identity, individuality, and authenticity, ushering listeners into Ho99o9’s world with a quiet sense of empowerment.
Comprised of theOGM and Yeti Bones, Ho99o9 has spent the last 11 years challenging the boundaries of rock, punk and hip-hop. Their sound is hard to pinpoint, as it is bound by no rules.
Following the melancholic “I Miss Home,” the album bursts into “Escape,” a track that feels like an act of pure rebellion. Coated in protruding bass plucks, jagged guitar shreds, and hellish vocals, the track delivers exactly what you’d expect and more. The single continues to explore themes of empowerment and self-expression, offering the first true glimpse into the heart of the album.
While “Target Practice” has bursts of energy in its pre-chorus, it ultimately falls flat, struggling to follow up on the strength of its predecessors. The momentum quickly returns, though, with “OK, I’m Reloaded.” If you thought “Escape” was explosive, this track raises the bar by a thousand decibels. Its EDM and dubstep influences bring out a rave-like atmosphere and recovers the energy that fell short in “Target Practice.”
In the lead-up to their album, Ho99o9 emphasized their desire to create something unskippable. On paper, the varying soundscapes of Tomorrow We Escape might seem impossible to unify, but the result is a record that’s explosive, unpredictable, and cohesive.
“Psychic Jumper” brings the band back to the nonchalant, hip-hop vibes they introduced with “I Miss Home.” With its smooth, old-school flow, the track offers a more relaxed, spacious moment in the album’s chaos.
The energy fulfils its mission with “Incline,” the second single released ahead of the album. Featuring Nova Twins, Pink Siifu and Yung Skrrrt, it brims with urgency and raw power. In some ways, it’s shocking that this is the first collaboration between Ho99o9 and Nova Twins, given how naturally their avant-garde punk and warped electronica styles align.
Ho99o9 has a knack for future-facing electro-induced punk, and it certainly shines through on “Upside Down.” The standout track is an intricate balance of extremes—flamboyant yet heavy-hitting, dark yet gothic. Yung Skrrt’s production drives the track into disorienting territory, using crunching basslines to curate a dizzying, downward spiral effect.
As the album unfolds, it becomes more obvious that distortion is one of its most defining elements. This becomes especially apparent on “Taperworm,” a helter-skelter collaboration with Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Greg Puciato. The track pounds relentlessly, disorienting energy, while Greg’s nu-metal and ferocious flair collides with the duo’s mumbled punky adlibs. Together, they create a sensation of battling voices in your head.
After the back-to-back intensity of “Incline,” “Tapeworm,” and “Upside Down,” “Immortal” arrives as a welcome pause, offering listeners a moment to breathe. Featuring Chelsea Wolfe, “Immortal” leans grungier and more melancholic, blending distorted guitars with earthy, haunting vocals.
Tomorrow We Escape is stacked with possibilities. It’s a kaleidoscope of sound—avant-garde, punk, metal, electronica, and grunge—all colliding into something entirely its own. Beneath the genre-bending production, the lyrics dig deeper, exploring themes of personal growth through self-discovery.
“LA Riots” reminds listeners of why they tuned into this record in the first place: to get hyped and fired up. As its title suggests, the track burns with urgency and rebellion. The song references the 2025 LA riots and the way communities have come together to fight against injustices imposed by ICE. Ho99o9 have always been hardcore punksters with bold, politically charged messages. Even when their sound crossed genres, their stance has never shifted. “LA Riots” hits so hard and stays so timely that you forget you’re even listening to music. It plays out like a three-minute storybook packed with urgency and relevance.
No Ho99o9 record would be complete without an extravagant finale. SKIN closed with “DEAD OR ASLEEP?,” and Tomorrow We Escape ends with “Godflesh,” a dark and cryptic statement. Across the album, the duo take fans back to where it all began—blistering guitar riffs, punchy hooks, and edgy vocals, but with a spin. This is Ho99o9 at their strongest.