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Shiner has always been about evolution, dodging genre labels and pushing musical
boundaries since their inception in the early '90s. Known for their punishing yet
melodic approach to rock, the band’s sound has morphed from the raw, untamed
energy of their early years to something more refined, layered, and introspective
on their latest release, BELIEVEYOUME.
Schadenfreude, the band's last record, released just as the world was shutting
down in early 2020. "Great timing on our part," says Josh Newton (guitar).
"Schadenfreude was dark and maybe a little claustrophobic, which makes sense,
in retrospect. This new record, BELIEVEYOUME, feels more open and more
immediate. We came in with fewer pre-written ideas and just reacted to each other
in real time. Less brooding, more instinct. Still heavy, still weird—just breathing a
little more."
Recorded over a series of multi-day sessions at bass player / engineer Paul
Malinowski’s Kansas City studio (Massive Sound), BELIEVEYOUME took shape
quickly and with purpose. "Initially, it was a process of sifting through phone
recordings, picking what hit us, and then going straight into the studio to flesh it
out,” says Allen Epley (vocals / guitar). “The results felt immediate, with no room
for overthinking.” While most of the basic recording was all done live, additional
instrumentation was tracked by Josh Newton (guitars / keyboards) at Massive
Sound and at his home in LA, and Epley's vocals were tracked at his home studio
in Chicago. Once the songs were locked, occasional touring member and mixer
Mario Quintero (Spotlights) and Malinowski fine-tuned the mixes before handing
the record off to Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering in Portland. In the end, the band's
mix of live, spontaneous energy and post-production prowess shaped the final
sound, a blend of the band’s signature heaviness with a newfound openness.
Lyrically, BELIEVEYOUME wanders into much more introspective territory,
touching on themes of aging, relationships, and escapism. “We really dug into the
personal stuff this time,” Epley shares, explaining certain songs explore the dark
humor of relationships gone wrong, while other songs center on manipulation,
toxic behavior, and our collective unwillingness to face what is coming. As a
whole, the record is a reflection on the struggles and contradictions in life, all
wrapped up in Shiner’s signature blend of heavy riffs and haunting melodies. The
title BELIEVEYOUME comes from a phrase in “Asleep in the Trunk,” one of the
record’s standout tracks. “It’s one of those phrases that’s tossed around so much
it’s lost its meaning,” Epley explains. “But when you step back and think about it, it
can mean so many things in the context of a relationship. It could be about
believing in yourself, in the other person, or in the relationship as a whole, or it
could be about the loss of belief.” That ambiguity is central to the album’s themes,
relationships that ebb and flow, and the complexity of human connection.
With BELIEVEYOUME, Shiner has created a record that feels both immediate and
timeless. It’s the band at their most honest, raw, and self-
aware. While Shiner's sonic influences continue to evolve, they remain rooted in
the shared experiences that have always bonded them as musicians. “Honestly,
the biggest influence is just the band itself,” says Malinowski. “Our sound has
grown and changed so much over the years, and that evolution led us to this
record.” As for their plans to bring it all to the stage, the band is already looking
ahead to an extensive tour in 2025, including dates across the U.S., Europe, and
beyond. “The plan is to tour the universe and beyond,” Epley jokes, “but in all
seriousness, we’ll be coming to most places soon.”
From their early days of shaking the walls of basement shows to their latest sonic
adventure, Shiner has never stopped pushing forward. And as always, they’re still
making music for themselves...and for anyone who’s ready to listen.
Exploding with melodic and pummeling industrial-tinged post-punk, Louisville dark punk stalwarts FOTOCRIME erupt in an unexpectedly aggressive tone on their new album, Security. This more guitar-driven direction may seem like a pivot, but to those in the know it’s inherent in Fotocrime leader Ryan Patterson’s musical history and DNA. Patterson is a musician, producer, visual artist, and creative force behind Coliseum, Cat Magic Punks, Black Cross, and Shirt Killer, amongst many other bands and endeavors.
Formed in 2017, Fotocrime have released five EPs and four albums, and on their fifth LP, 2026’s Security, Patterson is joined by new members Benjamin Clark (formerly of Elliott) on guitar and David Cundiff on bass. Filled with tales of overblown machismo at the nuclear chess board and honest living in a corrupt world, Security is rife with sentiments of paranoia and impending doom. Despite the darkness, Fotocrime always strikes a chord of elation with their man-vs-machine electronic-meets-organic industrial punk.
