It’s time to dig out a cozy sweater, settle in with a hot drink, and cue some seriously moody music to soundtrack the shorter days ahead. Luckily, Dublin four-piece SPRINTS have just the record for it. All That Is Over is tailor-made for foggy mornings and late-night window-staring. It’s a brooding collection that drenches their garage-rock and post-punk leanings in tarred, jet-black intensity.
While 2024’s acclaimed debut, Letter to Self, artfully balanced bursts of rage with moments of restraint, these 11 new tracks plunge even deeper into the shadows. The band embraces a darker, moodier palette, often evoking the noise-pop dynamics of The Jesus and Mary Chain or the gothic theatrics of Siouxsie and the Banshees. The result is a record that feels both urgent and spectral—restless energy coursing through shadowed corridors. In short, it’s the perfect match for Halloween revelry.
The one-two punch of “Abandon” and “To The Bones” sets the scene perfectly, with singer, guitarist, and lead songwriter Karla Chubb quoting Dante’s Inferno over somnambulistic basslines and cavernous drums. Echoes of Joy Division and Bauhaus loom large, their shadowy presence threaded through every chord. This is the kind of music that feels like it could only be conjured in a rainy country.
Wisely, the blistering “Descartes” raises the stakes, offering an introspective punch that might overwhelm listeners who joined the fandom after their snarling debut. A song named after the father of modern philosophy has no right being this fun, yet it’s a proper headbanger destined to ignite live shows.
“Need” emerges as a tonal standout. The band takes the bare bones of a snot-faced pop-punk song, dresses it in armor and razor blades, and sends it into battle. The result is a catchy, gnarly F-you to critics of any kind.
With “Rage,” SPRINTS prove the spirit of Nirvana lives on, pouring their feelings and frustrations over a deceptively groovy melody and chaotic guitars. It’s loud, dumb, and a blast to hear. Pair it with the explosive “Pieces,” and you’ve got tunes that make you want to start a riot—or at least set something on fire.
What’s surprising is just how much ground SPRINTS cover here. Considering Letter to Self only came out last year, the shift in sonics feels both brave and bold. This time around, they’ve crafted an album that flirts with gothic, drawing on the genre’s forebears to comment on a world in unrest. Poetic, pissed-off, and seething with conviction, the album still packs hooks sharp enough to demand repeat plays. By the final note, you’re already flipping back to the start, pulled into its restless energy. All That Is Over is a storm of a record—dark, driven, and utterly impressive.
While Letter to Self marked SPRINTS as a band to watch, All That Is Over reveals they have the ambition and chops to reach even greater heights. It’s a cracker of a second album.