Santa Cruz punk rock / hardcore band Scowl has announced their upcoming album Are We All Angels, set for release on April 4th through Dead Oceans, with an exclusive cassette available via Flatspot Records.
The album, produced by Will Yip—known for his work with Turnstile, Title Fight, and Mannequin Pussy—marks a significant evolution for the band. Mixed by Rich Costey (Fiona Apple, My Chemical Romance, Vampire Weekend), the record captures a turbulent mix of alienation, grief, and the struggle to maintain control amid rapid changes in their lives and the hardcore scene.
The album’s first single, “Not Hell, Not Heaven,” directly confronts narratives imposed on the band from outside perspectives.
Vocalist Kat Moss explains, “It’s about feeling victimized and being a victim, but not wanting to identify with being a victim. It’s trying to find grace in the fact that I have my power. I live in my reality.” This statement underscores a theme of self-reclamation and resilience. The accompanying video, directed by Sean Stout, was filmed at Berkeley’s iconic 924 Gilman, the very venue where Scowl’s founding members—Moss, guitarist Malachi Greene, and drummer Cole Gilbert—first met.
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Musically, Are We All Angels is a departure from their earlier raw aggression, expanding into more melodic and textured territories without losing their signature edge. Moss experiments with harmonies and delicate vocal approaches, drawing influence from artists outside the hardcore spectrum, including Billie Eilish, Radiohead, and Julien Baker. Despite these shifts, the band’s punk and hardcore roots remain central. Greene emphasizes this, stating, “At our core, we are a punk and hardcore band, regardless of how the song shifts and changes.”
Instrumentally, Scowl draws from a broad palette, including Negative Approach, Bad Brains, and Sonic Youth, as well as grunge and alternative icons like Hole and Mudhoney. Bassist Bailey Lupo highlights the collaborative process behind the album, noting that it represents the band’s most unified creative effort to date. “We all have such eclectic tastes, influences, and personalities, and you can really hear that in every corner of this album,” Lupo shares.
Tracks like “Special,” which boasts anthemic energy while retaining Scowl’s intensity, provide a glimpse into the album’s dynamic range.
Even through this more eclectic approach, Scowl loses none of their edge and still manages to convey the anger and frustration that lies underneath.
