Album/EP

Stand Atlantic - WAS HERE (Album Review)

Walladmin

Heavy Metal Wordsmith

Aug 19, 2024

7 min read

Stand Atlantic - WAS HERE
Released: August 23rd, 2024

Lineup

Bonnie Fraser // Vocals
David Potter // Guitarist
Miki Rich // Bassist
Jonno Panichi // Drums

Online:

Official Website
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In a year of releases where creative freedom and the abandonment of genre constructs has grown prominent, there is perhaps no stronger band taking aim than Stand Atlantic. WAS HERE marks the band’s fourth studio album, yet diverts itself away from anything you've ever known about the Sydney gang. Explosive, dark, yet exciting and unheard, the album is a celebration of pouring one's own identity into a body of work. Through pure filtration of all the white noise, Stand Atlantic has created something not merely unique to their discography, but a dichotomous album that stands out among the plethora of releases this year. At every song, a turn awaits, but through a curated disjointedness, it sees WAS HERE become a homage to their past work, and a beacon of radiant light for the band moving forward into their true, creative selves.

WAS HERE opens with ‘WAKE UP- SIT DOWN - SHUT UP’. Its forceful title wavers through the reverberating echoes of its opening, like a predator prowling its prey. From the get-go, the band provides glimpses of this mature and dark sound that is reflected in both the album cover and the stylistic choices of the album. Bonnie Fraser’s pronounced and smooth vocals lay upon a rattling bed of determined bass lines and punchy drums. As these elements gravitate together, they call to arms a synth-driven soundscape; a feature that the band has relished in within the rest of the album, combining raw instrumentals and technological sounds for this hybridity many audiences now crave. With no major climax, the song holds attention for its duration, and from the start, solidifies that with the right amount of zest and intrigue when mixing, the entire song can be, and will be, demanding. With attention captured, ‘WAKE UP- SIT DOWN - SHUT UP’ sees you doing just that, anticipating the rest to come.

Leading up to the album release, Stand Atlantic had quite a respectable release schedule, ensuring their return was not merely heard, but injected into the ears of those willing (or even unintentionally) listening. Their carefully picked singles drew me into WAS HERE from the start, but to this day, continue to stand tall and confidently within the rest of the body of work. ‘SEX ON THE BEACH’ became an inescapable representation of the album at hand, and perhaps solidified itself as one of the strongest singles the band has released to date. It is sultry, loud, hot, and poignant. Abruptly switching from the growl-like vocals and rolling beat to the poppy and dense chorus, there is no room to think about the transitions or swiftness of the song, but only a chance to engulf yourself in the chaos of it all and the fun the song exudes. With a strong mosh call out commanding heavy guitar riffs and techy infrastructure, ‘SEX ON THE BEACH’ is almost a perfect encapsulation of WAS HERE- mixing seriousness with fun, and charming the ears through its beautiful madness. However, the singles were not always flamboyant expressions of blaring sounds, but sometimes stripped back and heartfelt moments, such as ‘LOVE U ANYWAY’. From the opening, the twinkling guitars that lead into the soft instrumentals carry Fraser’s delicate and solemn vocals to a more charged and emotionally vulnerable chorus. Even just between these two songs, I think the most powerful element of WAS HERE can be found. It's boundless in every aspect- genre, theme, storytelling. There is no limit nor expectation. Deep conversations and touching moments are not off the table, even if we will be screaming about snake pits some time after. ‘LOVE U ANYWAY’ remains a true contender for one of the best tracks on the album, showcasing the vulnerability that remains in the band’s writing style- a part of their identity that has remained from the days of Skinny Dipping and Sidewinder. Accompanied by other tracks like ‘WARZ0NE’ and ‘FRENEMIES’, each track almost presents itself as something off different bodies of work, but has effortlessly come together to showcase Stand Atlantic at their most unpredictable yet.

WAS HERE, as well as being a celebration and proclamation of the identity of Stand Atlantic, was also a display of the creative prowess and informed choices of collaborations and musical friendships at full force. From Aussie to International, STAT employed the help of many friends, all of which brought a spark to WAS HERE. ‘CRIMINAL’ features our very own scene favourites, Polaris. Over everything, the mix and small inclusions that surround the track entrance me the most. The small, faint Jamie Hails screams and chopped noises in the first verse that then repeat later- louder and stronger, become a musical game of Where’s Wally, seeing what you can spot upon each listen. ‘CRIMINAL’ is the most jarring of the collabs, pitting Bonnie at her spunkiest, and Hails at his heaviest, yet they compliment each other in their respective ways. If we were looking at pure cohesiveness however, it is hard to look past ‘GIRL$’- a collaboration with PVRIS and Bruses. This divinely feminine track is sultry, seductive, and empowering. With complete synchronization, the acts within this track are all fuelled with the same rage, expectation, and moral goal in mind, presenting a track that is heavy both thematically and musically, but digestible and approachable, making it both accessible and genuine. Closing off the collaborations of the album is ‘NOSE BLEED’ featuring Sueco. The track uses its feature of collaboration to create a conversational tone, a bit of a call and response. Starting with Bonnie’s casual and subtle approach, to Sueco’s more enraged verse, the song continues to grow in intensity and heat as it progresses, charging towards a battle of heavy growls and direness in their tone. ‘NOSE BLEED’ is one of the clear standouts from this album, propelling its heavy riffs and sharp guitars as other vessels of the conversation taking place- every person gets to do the talking. More so, these tracks are clear examples of Stand Atlantic’s ability to bring in the troops, and adapt them to their creative styles.

Certain tracks seem to conjure memories of the band’s past to come rushing back. I think there is no greater example of this than within ‘G.A.G’. Especially within the verses and pre-chorus, it almost seems as if a Skinny Dipping approach is taken within Bonnie’s vocals. It is heartwarming to see that the styles and lessons that developed within them slip out in moments, yet are refined and reflective in this new state.

One of my personal favourite tracks from WAS HERE is ‘KISSIN’ KILLER COBRAS’- it is a track not to be missed! Backed by a deep thumping, Muse-like riff, Bonnie gets sassy and full of energy on this track, fluctuating between howling screams and attitude-filled almost rap-like verses. The track also sees the instrumentals talk with her, hyperbolising every word, moment, and beat. Descending into a cesspool of gritty sound, the track is dirty and leaves you thirsty for far more. I found myself coming back to this track a lot, and I'm sure you will too!

There are almost too many highlights to keep discussing within the album, but it would be ignorant to ignore the anthem and angst-fueled belter that is ‘17’. This track is perhaps Stand Atlantic’s angriest. From the lyrical content to the presentation, it is seething with regret, hindsight, betrayal, and anger. All of which culminate in the pain-enduring screams that chant over and over “I wish we never fucking met”. While the entire song itself is a charged and engrossing listen, it is Bonnie’s performance in this that leaves you in awe. The pure retaliation and resentment that permeates through the track and into the very crevices of your soul is nothing short of breathtaking. And of course, it is a testament to Fraser’s many years as frontwoman, but more so, years of songwriting and occupying the music scene as a means of sharing and resonating with others.

WAS HERE concludes with ‘KILL[H]ER’, another one of the much-loved singles from the album's release cycle. There is just something so intoxicating about that chorus, with its repetitive nature becoming ingrained in the very grooves of your brain. This is another song in which the band plays with small background sounds that tiptoe among their larger instrumental sequences, capturing you in a maze for every second of the song. If there is anything to gain from WAS HERE, it's that every space is occupied, and done with direct purpose. If there is space, they will fill it, and with intention. The song reaches a vocal and instrumental climax, with the soaring guitars stealing the show. It is truly a showstopping end to the album.

WAS HERE sees Stand Atlantic at their most inspired, creative, and relentless yet, using a lengthy album to showcase what pure self-driven artistry looks like. Beyond that, the album is a celebration of years of growth which saw their past albums slowly evolving into the beast WAS HERE is today. Juggling madness and exhilarating tempo changes with rawness and the exploration of treasured feelings, the album finds itself unpinned to one expression, representing the dichotomous nature of life, and the events that preceded this body of work. Through its blood-stained album cover, to tear-stained lyric sheets, WAS HERE runs through the veins of Stand Atlantic, becoming a part of their very nature and identity.