It’s easy to anticipate a new band whose line-up consists of members of bands that all ruled. So naturally, Group of Man comprising of former members of Hang the Bastard and Pariso made them an exciting prospect before hearing a single note of music.

Like their previous outfits, second EP ‘World Peace Champions’ is fuelled by riffs being scraped along your eardrums and lyrics addressing vocalist Mark Scurr’s youthful skepticism. ‘Do you ever wonder how I feel? Well, I don’t give a fuck,’ he yelps on ‘That Animal Mask’, adding that the person the song revolves around is “right about my thoughts, they’re slightly morbid,” adding to the EP’s tone of playful nihilism.

Unlike past projects, the rhythm sections are more streamlined and deal with hooks and melodic structures instead of beatdowns. It’s best summed up in moments like the buildup of ‘Aftercare’ where dispirited lyrics like “There’s no difference between love and sex, they both thrive on pain” can be screamed back like it’s an anthem.

This pairing of bleakness and big songs makes ‘World Peace Champions’ a compelling listen and sets a lot of scope for Group of Man’s future following more experience as a group under their belts. The members of this band have had enough experience making downbeat music, but when they can make you chant a lyric like “No peace for everyone, don’t you know this is just the start” with a massive smile on your face, that’s when it gets interesting.

3.5/5

‘World Peace Champions’ by Group of Man is released on 26th January on Holy Roar Records.

Group of Man links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp

Words by Andy Davidson (@AndyrfDavidson)