7/10

From the first crashing bars of 'There Is No Sky', Dying Habit make one thing clear that this is a band unafraid of weight, the kind that presses against your ribs and leaves a lasting impression in your soul.

Emerging from Anglesey’s rugged edges, the North Wales four-piece have long channelled the spirit of 90s guitar music, but this latest record feels more like ownership than a simple homage. Nathan Jones’ voice remains the band’s emotional compass, cutting through the thick, surging instrumentation with pure conviction. Behind him, Mark Jones and Daniel Garner lock into grooves that feel muscular and relentless, while Alan Hart threads between jagged attack and textured atmosphere with impressive control.

Following the run of singles over the past year, 'There Is No Sky' gathers those statements of intent and pushes them even further. Standout ‘Three Letter View’ lands with punch and clarity, sharp-edged and immediate. ‘Bow’ carries a darker swagger, its melody wrapping itself around a taut rhythmic pulse. While ‘Run to the Beehive’ is all urgency and abrasion, with restless guitars colliding with propulsive drums in a storm of controlled chaos.

But it’s in the deeper cuts that the album truly stretches its wings. Opening track ‘Everything in Reverse’ moves between fragile calm and sudden eruption, capturing that familiar Dying Habit tension between beauty and fury. ‘Centuries’ sprawls across six absorbing minutes, building and breaking with cinematic ambition, clearly designed for live sing-alongs and raised fists. While the closing piece ‘Divulsion’ pulls everything inward, fading into a reflective hush that leaves a lasting impression by its end.

Produced once again by Russ Hayes, the album feels cohesive without being predictable. Some tracks strike with precision; while others wander deliberately into more expansive territory. This is a record that feels emotionally exposed, sonically bold, and unapologetically heavy in all the right ways.