Release Date: 23rd October 2026
Label: Virgin Music
Stand Atlantic have gone through some changes over the years. Their album-to-album shape-shifting has given them a delightful sense of unpredictability, but has also left people unsure of where to place them on the musical spectrum.
Now, the Aussie four-piece are back with their fifth studio album, GODBREATH, and, after almost a decade of discovery, it feels like the band have finally shaken off any self-doubt and settled on exactly where, and who, they want to be.
That couldn’t be clearer than in the album’s opening track, ‘LUCID’. It’s instantly catchy and impossible not to tap your foot or nod your head along with it but, on top of that, it’s a clear message of the band stepping into their authentic selves.
With this journey of self-discovery comes unabashed positivity and joy that radiates throughout the album. From the adorably romantic ‘NEXT2U’ to the blasts of 1980s-influenced electro-pop of ‘teeth’, there’s a sense of fun and lightness that, some might argue, has been lacking in Stand Atlantic’s more recent efforts.
The band’s renewed sense of self oozes out of almost every moment on this album, but it’s utterly undeniable in ‘SO COOL’. The track switches up the vibe, taking on a darker, edgier tone, and is all about knowing you are a superstar, no matter what anyone else thinks. It is, as the name suggests, so incredibly cool.
On the flip side, ‘EDGE OF VEGAS’ takes listeners down a different route. While the album is, for the most part, a good vibe, this track shows a more vulnerable side of the band, adopting a softer approach and sharing honest lyrics: “I’m on the edge of breaking, I’m covered up but I’m feeling naked / I’m never brave enough to say it, if I wanna leave, would you come and get me?”
For all its truth-telling, the album is, at its core, a pop-punk record, and fans of the genre’s 2010s era (think the likes of As It Is and State Champs) are bound to fall in love with it. The infectious bounce of ‘Velcro’ coupled with the ferocious riffs and rolling drums of ‘d.L.M.A’, not to mention Bonnie Fraser’s impressive vocals tying it all together, is when the band really taps into their signature sound and shows us what they’re capable of.
After five albums, everyone will have their favourite era of Stand Atlantic but, from someone who has been there since the beginning, it really feels like GODBREATH is the band’s most authentic album to date.
In their own words, Stand Atlantic are finally “wide awake and lucid”, and seemingly ready to take on the world.