7/10

Over the last near twenty years, the name British Sea Power was synonymous with quality and effervescent music. The group were BAFTA-winning and Mercury Prize-nominated for their incredibly diverse yet euphoric indie-rock direction, earning them praise and acclaim at nearly every turn. But with the world becoming a more divided and nationalised place, they decided it was time to drop the insular moniker, simply going by Sea Power from now on. So as they pursue this new phase in their career, they deliver their first studio album under the new name, 'Everything Was Forever', a record that already feels like a fresh beginning for the group.

Not only is 'Everything Was Forever' their first full-length with a new name, it is also their first studio release in five years, giving an almost apprehensive texture right from the off. But despite the long wait, it is clear that Sea Power have not lost their vigour for raw and explosive anthems, as this new chapter sees them deliver a knuckle-punch of bold and blistering cuts that hark right back to their earliest work. There is this revitalised appeal to their direction here, almost as if they are shaking off the weight of the last few decades and starting something again right from the start.

There is a wonderfully rich and adventurous structure to 'Everything Was Forever', creating a vivid exploration of their own distinct sound, but through the lens of a reinvention. The name may be different, but this exactly what we have always enjoyed about them; unbridled and untethered throughout.