Memory Castles Pretty Monsters

Amidst their curated chaos and delightful dysfunction, Adelaide's Memory Castles have been making waves recently, adding to a growing collection of unflinching tracks in the lead up to the release of new EP 'Pretty Monsters'.

Bringing their characteristic pop-rock flair that bristles with prickly punk, Memory Castles uncovered a shrewd six-track EP, exposing the intimate struggles of mental illness through the eyes of frontman Jesse Cumes and his experience with Borderline Personality Disorder. Cumes provides further insights into the EP:

"This EP attempts to capture the good, bad and funny side of love, life and mental illness. 'Pretty Monsters' was written during a very strange and impactful time in my life when I was reeling from the loss of a relationship and simaltaneously coming to terms with my diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder. We wanted the EP to be full of colour and contrast in its lyrical content and tone to almost reflect the intense and often polarising nature of BPD and the experiences that influenced this EP. We wanted to create something that encapsulated everything that Memory Castles is about."

Opening the EP is daring track 'Money', flush with crunchy hyperpop pieces, intriguing sound layering techniques and contorting vocals. Mirroring the song's meaning, erratic tempos and frenzied guitars represent the fears and anxieties that can arise during a relationship.

Next is the unusually optimistic 'Butterflies', burgeoning with exaggerated, over-pronounced vocals, furiously overdriven guitars and heavy drum inserts, projecting the feeling of falling stupidly in love with someone and wanting to spend your life with them.

Turning up the heat, 'Burning Down' is quintessentially Memory Castles: a song about instability, dysfunction and emotional exhaustion, delivered with a crazed combo of warped electric guitar, relentless drumming and blistering emo-punk progressions.

'Honest' is the darkest track on the EP, seeing the band lean heavily into their angst as unsettling melodies and aggressive drums prevent any semblance of comfort. Jesse delivers the angry anthem using fuzz-fuelled vocals, with a surprise feature from brother Jack Cumes (frontman of Wolf & Chain) throughout the belting bridge and final chorus.

A song for lonely hearts everywhere, 'Valentine's Day' features non-stop emo-punk mayhem, spinning with a loony, funhouse energy as desperate yet self-aware lyrics poke fun at perpetual loneliness during a day that celebrates romance.

Closing out the EP is title-track 'Pretty Monsters', a jaded punk-rock banger infused with hyperpop synth percussion, dominating riffs and desperately raw vocals. Seeping with pain and resentment following the end of a relationship, the self-searching madness within this track captures the spirit of the entire EP, the beauty found in chaos.