The past few years have been eye-opening to say the least. These obscure times have forced us to confront ourselves, our lives, as well as all of the torment and beauty that comes with that journey. Fueled by their own personal journey, Eat Your Heart Out used that inspiration to give them the momentum for the creation of their latest album Can’t Stay Forever. Released on September 9th, 2022 under Fearless Records, it marks their second full-length album and it is a masterful combination of Emo spirit with a burst of Pop, forming a delicious treat to sink your teeth into.
Giving a little perspective, hailing from Newcastle, Australia — Caitlin Henry (vocals), Will Moore (guitar), Dom Cant (bass), and Jake Cronin (drums) — crashed onto the scene in 2012 and have been pushing forward a decade later. Since the release of their debut album, Florescence in 2019, Eat Your Heart Out has been tearing it up; clocking over 2.6 million Spotify streams and hitting the road with genre darlings like Trophy Eyes, Knuckle Puck, Real Friends, and more. Then, when life came to a halt during the pandemic, everything changed, especially for the band. However, with change comes new beginnings.
This idea in mind, you are immediately lured in by Henry’s hypnotic vocals the moment the opening track, “Forget Me” kicks in. The infectious instrumentals married with the soul-tugging lyrics are the perfect start to this record as they quite literally claw their way into your brain. Next comes “Down,” a track which serves as the lead single for this album, and rightfully so. The line, “The only way out now is down,” is bound to get stuck in your head as the song takes a stab at social media toxicity with an unshakeable force. “When I wrote the lyrics, I was in a weird mood where I was thinking heaps about social media and how toxic it can be,” Henry said. She added, “I’d seen a comment about myself on YouTube or Instagram. I thought about how social media is addictive, but it’s so toxic – especially when you’re reading about yourself. You want to keep reading, but you know you’re going to feel so bad about it. You let it get to your head as you keep going deeper and falling down into it further.”
Moving forward every other track on Can’t Stay Forever feels like you are reading the tattered pages of a diary, peeking into the band’s most intimate stories as they guide us through the album. This includes the thundering beat of “Hostage,” a track that highlights the sinking feeling of other people’s perceptions of who we are and the want to break free. This is while “Twenty Something,” laden with Pop Punk grooves and fiery spirit, spins a coming-of-age tale about feeling lost as you navigate adulthood. Screaming, “I’m upside down. I don’t know where I’m going. I’m lost and found. I’m just twenty-something” for everyone that has ever felt like they have no idea what is going on in their life as they stumble into finding their groove. Then there is the quiet beauty of “Poison Devotion” which features some of the most stunning lyrics on the album.
Other standouts include “Scissors In My Skin” and “Sour,” both which feel like a shot of serotonin straight to the brain. Finally, “Headfirst” takes us home, closing the album in a blaze of glory. This track was made to be screamed at the top of your lungs while standing in the crowd. Declarations of “I feel alive” with a backdrop of wailing riffs and melodic beats that prod at your heart.
Overall at its core Can’t Stay Forever is Eat Your Heart Out finding themselves. Bold and a great step forward, Cryptic Rock gives this new album 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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