When Militarie Gun changed direction for their debut full-length, 2023's Life Under the Gun, the polarizing opinions came almost exclusively from some fans puzzled by the change. Filled with hooks and mid-tempo alt-rockers that still retained the band's serrated edge, Life Under the Gun was definitely slower and more direct than the band's earlier releases; outraged calls of "too clean" and "overproduced" rang through forums and Reddit threads, as did the unsurprising (but narrow-minded) calls of "THIS AIN'T HARDCORE!"Whatever. Not everyone agreed, and new fans flocked to the band in droves. Bob Mould performed a Hüsker Dü song with them. Post Malone tapped them to record a custom track for his walk-on music in a wrestling video game (yes, really). The album was also critically lauded, receiving positive-to-rave reviews and appearing on numerous year-end lists.Started during lockdown as a solo project by lead vocalist and multi-hyphenate Ian Shelton, the now-band have recorded and released the aforementioned Life Under the Gun, as well as four EPs of shout-along material, always embracing change and experimentation while espousing the spirit of hardcore. On their latest full-length, God Save the Gun, that need to evolve while still two-stepping is alive and well, the band going further while still delivering a tight, confrontational album filled with bellowed introspection.Opening track "Pt. II" is a string-laden lament, with Shelton's ghostly voice telling us through a disembodied telephone that things "haven't been great." The album then launches into "B A D I D E A," a sub-two-minute burner about Shelton's disintegrating relationship with alcohol, which went from a post-show treat to a full-blown addiction. Alcoholism runs in his family, and the weight of their struggles and relapses is ever-present. At the start of each verse, Shelton uses repetition to evoke the cycle of almost inevitable addiction he's entered ("I've been slipping up, slipping up, slipping up"), while the stutter of "Didn't / Didn't know" is a testament to how unconvincing his lies and excuses have become. Around him, the band — which now features his younger brother Max — rip along with crashing cymbals, a pounding bass line and vibrant synths."Fill Me with Paint" is baggy and shimmering, with a squealing guitar anti-solo, while "Throw Me Away," led by the rhythm section, has a half-time chorus that's going to have a LOT of people clambering for the mic. Shelton sings, "I'll change / If you promise just to stay the same," echoing a feeling of resolved resignation and acceptance. The song ends with Shelton repeating, "Please don't throw me away," over and over again, the line echoing into silence.Similarly, "Maybe I'll Burn My Life Down" is fuzzy and driving, with a very satisfying hi-hat clip and Shelton once again using repetition ("I feel trapped! I feel trapped! I feel trapped! I feel trapped… again!") to reflect his stagnation. "God Owes Me Money," which features Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy, sees Shelton remembering his and Max's difficult upbringing: "Things you never remember / I live through again and again and again," he sings with a raspy growl, a testament to survival and perseverance, even in the face of familial neglect. It's raw and vulnerable, while simultaneously lacking hyperbole or pretension."Daydream," a gentle, acoustic strummer featuring Shelton's double-tracked vocals and swimming strings, reflects on the life of his late grandmother — a strong, determined woman caught in her own addictions — with unabashed candour. This frank depiction of alcoholism and generational trauma (at one point, he sings, "I've been drunk every day for a month / I learned from you and mom") is a testament to Shelton's need for directness and honesty. "God Owes Me Money" and "Daydream" are his catharsis; for us to hear them is a gift.Mixing alternative and indie rock, as well as pop-punk and (post-)hardcore, God Save the Gun is certainly Militarie Gun's most "mainstream" record, with synths, strings and studio tricks co-mingling with distortion and Shelton's caustic, confessional roar. Unfortunately, not every song is a winner, with a number of uninspired tracks in the second half of the record plodding along without the energy or muscle of the first."Kick" sounds like a radio-ready mid-2000s pop-punk hit 20 years too late, with a tacked-on coda that should've just been an interlude on its own. Still, it does feature one of the album's best, most telling lines: "If I kicked you in the face / I'm sorry, but I would do it again." "Wake Up and Smile" is bland and trudging, while "Laugh at Me," with its chiming guitars and saccharine chorus, makes Militarie Gun sound like a band aching for a hit. These tracks result in a noticeable bit of inconsistency — and while experimentation should be applauded, a forgettable song is a forgettable song.Thankfully, the final act is positively anthemic, with Shelton's voice and the band's booming sincerity keeping the songs from entering derivative "stadium rock" territory. "I Won't Murder Your Friend," the album's longest track, features Shelton breaking down during a spoken word bridge ahead of the outro's towering, crushing crunch. If this isn't an encore showstopper, I don't know what is. Featuring the titular Modest Mouse frontman, "Isaac's Song" bleeds into "Thought You Were Waving," the wall of voices on the chorus certain to elicit goosebumps.Album closer "God Save the Gun" is nothing short of triumphant. Guitars soar above syncopated drums and the fuzziest bass this side of the garage, while Shelton sounds confident, powerful, unwavering. The song ends abruptly, on a statement that could save us all: "Time's up, Liam, by now you've got to know / If you want to keep your life, you gotta let it go." It's a solid piece of advice, easy to vocalize but very difficult to actualize. It's also the perfect summary of the album's thesis: it takes a lot of work to survive.God Save the Gun is not an über-positive, "I've seen the light and instantly got sober" kind of album. Instead, it's a temporary respite; the calm amidst destruction, the damage swirling around Shelton and the band. At any moment he might enter that fray, but for now, he's aware and determined enough to keep the wolves at bay. This is an album about recognizing one's demons without necessarily overcoming them, and in this way, it's instantly relatable: before you can solve your problems, you must confront them. There's always work to be done, but that's the first — and often most difficult — step. Ian Shelton has squared up to the tempest, his bandmates in Militarie Gun helping him brave the torrent. The sound is their weapon, making this one Gun that's actually worth saving.
Wavelength
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