GENRE; Rock
LABEL; Julia’s War
RATING; 4/5
ALL MONSTERS marks a compelling and emotionally raw debut for Brooklyn’s alt-rock outfit MX LONELY, combining grunge, shoegaze, emo, and post-hardcore roots into a cathartic exploration of inner turmoil and identity. Across eight tracks, the band balances heavy, murky instrumentation with honest, raw lyricism that confronts themes of addiction, neurodivergence, self-doubt, and gender dysphoria — creating a record that’s as introspective as it is sonically powerful.
From the opening surge of “Kill The Candle” to the haunting slow-burn of “Whispers In The Fog,” the album feels like a journey deep into the shadows of human experience. Standouts like “Big Hips” tackle gender identity with gritty riffs and sharp humor, repurposing youthful dysphoria into defiant hooks and gritty energy. Similarly, “Shape Of An Angel” blends distorted guitars with an emotionally charged refrain about dependency and self-destruction, showcasing the band’s ability to tackle heavy topics in both sound and lyric.
The dynamic production — recorded to capture the immediacy of MX LONELY’s live presence — gives the album a visceral feel, where walls of distortion sit beside moments of fragile beauty. Tracks like “Anesthetic” and “Return To Sender” shift between restraint and explosive release, reinforcing the album’s tension between numbness and emotional vulnerability.
What makes ALL MONSTERS especially engaging is its willingness to treat noise as catharsis. The band doesn’t shy away from making listeners sit with discomfort; instead, it invites them into the messy space of self-reflection and growth. For fans of heavy alternative rock with a deeply personal core, this album is a striking and heartfelt debut.
