Northlane – Mesmer

The unannounced surprise release of their fourth album Mesmer has Northlane cement themselves as one of Australia’s premier hardcore acts.

This record marks the second release with new vocalist Marcus Bridge at the helm of Northlane and proves that he has settled into a groove with the other members. Bridge’s vocal work here is captivating alongside the musical compositions, which the band has obviously put a strong emphasis on this time around.

Whilst Mesmer is another clear step away from their roots, much like previous record Node, Northlane appears to be a heading in a positive direction. The latter half of Mesmer emphasises this point with the final six songs being the albums strongest as all of the elements and growth click right into place.

★★★