Riding high on a wave of early success that allowed them to quit their day jobs and pursue their musical ambitions with renewed vigor, Welsh pop-punk combo
Neck Deep
delivered their highly optimistic sophomore set,
Life's Not Out to Get You
, in the summer of 2015. Although it proved to be a breakout release for the young band -- reaching the Top Ten in the U.K. and topping Billboard's Independent Albums chart in the U.S. -- the ensuing two years were fraught with personal tumult and cold doses of reality. While the anxiety of uncertain social and political climates has many artists asking big questions, also looming large among
's inner woes is the death of frontman
Ben Barlow
's father. There are few events that cause a person to grow up faster than the untimely death of a parent, so it's no wonder the band returns a shade more sober on 2017's
The Peace and the Panic
. Overall more mature in content and tone, the band's third LP sees them expanding their boundaries somewhat while still adhering to a classic, if more muscular, pop-punk sound. Working with producer
Neal Avron
(
Fall Out Boy
,
New Found Glory
),
find a nice balance between sprightly and serious, delivering the big riffy melodies they've become known for, over a more defined bed of parts. The bleak but tuneful "Happy Judgment Day" confronts the teetering knife's edge of contemporary politics, wondering if we've delivered ourselves to end times. The pleasingly introspective "Parachute" is a classic ode to escape, while "Wish You Were Here" nostalgically reflects on
Barlow
's father. If
is a darker affair than their first two records, it's not quite as dour as it sounds. While they've continued to progress as a band,
are pop-punks to the core and this rousing set packs plenty of punch. ~ Timothy Monger