In the ever-evolving landscape of modern hardcore, Stick to Your Guns have long reigned as giants of the genre, with their music serving as a rallying cry for social justice and personal growth. Now, with their eighth full-length, Keep Planting Flowers, the Orange County quintet delivers a searing, cathartic exploration of resilience that cements their status as the genre’s most passionate standard-bearers. i’m back.
Produced by the esteemed Beau Burchell, the album is a relentless exploration of life’s challenges, with Jesse Barnett’s evocative vocals cutting through the band’s trademark blend of uncompromising heaviness and melodic power. It is. The opening salvo of “We All Die Anyway” sets the tone, and the sound of a shovel crunching the ground signals the beginning of a journey of struggle and self-discovery. Barnett’s lyrics encourage listeners to embrace courage in the face of mortality, establishing the record’s overarching theme of finding beauty and purpose in adversity.
Tracks like “Severed Forever” and “More Than A Witness” showcase Stick To Your Guns at their most intense and lyrically introspective. “Severed Forever” is a standout moment, with its punk-filled pace and sweeping breakdown amplifying the song’s existential questions about time, loss, and spiritual awakening. Burnett’s vocals soar over some of the best riffs the band has ever crafted, making this a true highlight of the album.
In contrast, the brooding “Permanent Dark” offers a somber counterpoint that explores a world consumed by fear and despair. The track provides a poignant contrast to the record’s overall message of resilience and collective action, and showcases the band’s diversity and depth.
But Stick To Your Guns’ commitment to using its platform to uplift and empower its community is far from beneath the surface. Guest appearances by hardcore luminaries such as Terror’s Scott Vogel (“Who Needs Who”) and See You Space Cowboy’s Connie Sgarbossa (“H84U”) make “Keep Planting Flowers” a uniting force for the genre. It has become a communal celebration of power.
The album’s emotional core is the title track, “Keep Planting Flowers.” Equal parts uplifting and reflective, the song weaves intricate guitar work and an anthemic chorus, encouraging listeners to maintain hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. This sentiment continues in the meditative closer “Eats Me Up,” which brings together themes of personal responsibility and growth into a moving finale.
Throughout “Keep Planting Flowers,” Stick To Your Guns’ sonic palette is enriched with subtle atmospheric details. The tracks are stitched together by incorporating natural elements such as rain, wind, and the sounds of the ocean, reinforcing the album’s central metaphor of cultivating beauty and meaning amidst life’s challenges. These touches provide moments of respite between the record’s relentless bursts of energy, like the blistering “Spineless.”
In a time marked by division and despair, Stick to Your Guns has crafted an album that serves as both an uplifting cry and a sedative for the weary. “Keep Planting Flowers” doesn’t just expand on the band’s sound; It cements its place as the foundation of modern hardcore, a group unafraid to confront social ills while championing the power of individual growth and collective action.
Whether you’re navigating your own battle or fighting for something bigger than yourself, Stick To Your Guns’ latest offering will help you stay the course and maybe even create something beautiful along the way. It reminds me to plant. In a world that often feels engulfed in darkness, this album shines a light and inspires listeners to find the courage to blossom anew.
