On “In Ways”, SLUNG announce themselves not with a whisper, but a cathartic exhale. The debut album from the Brighton-based band is less about staking territory and more about unravelling something long held in—the kind of emotional purge that can only come from lived experience. It’s a record shaped by shared histories and mutual trust, where rawness is given just as much weight as precision.

Opener “Laughter” doesn’t ease you in; it barrels forward, encompassing everything from snarling distortion to moments of quiet restraint. It’s a bold, sprawling introduction and one that casts a wide net across alternative and rock’s fractured landscape. Fans of everything from 2000s post-hardcore to modern shoegaze will likely find something to cling to.

Katie’s vocal presence is central to the record’s pull. It’s rich, expressive, and anchored in lyrical storytelling that blurs autobiography with impressionistic narrative. Tracks like “Class A Cherry” and “Come Apart” scale things back, offering a more classic rock atmosphere without slipping into nostalgia. Her voice remains the guiding thread, luminous even in the album’s murkiest corners.

The interplay between bandmates never falters with Vlad’s bass lines tastefully driving alongside guitarist Ali’s impressive guitar work throughout. “Collider” is another highlight that broods and builds without ever losing focus. Ravi’s drumming, meanwhile, provides the necessary backbone: precise, dynamic, and never too showy.

“Matador” is a riot in miniature, channelling a rough-and-ready energy that nods to early Queens of the Stone Age without sounding derivative. Recent singles “Limassol” and “Thinking About It” retain their impact in the album’s context, while “In Ways” and “Nothing Left” bring the curtain down with quiet confidence—stripped back and emotionally bare.

It’s easy to trace Slung’s influences: Deftones, Baroness, Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, Chappell Roan, even hints of Fleetwood Mac. But this isn’t a band interested in mimicry. Instead, In Ways feels like a convergence of taste and instinct—of disparate threads pulled together into something cohesive, affecting, and deeply human.

For a debut, In Ways is remarkably assured. Slung aren’t just trying on identities—they’ve arrived with one fully formed.

IN WAYS is OUT NOW