ALBUM REVIEW: DESOLATED - FINDING PEACE (30/05/25)
Hardcore isn’t about polish - it’s about power, purpose, and pushing limits. Finding Peace, the latest offering from UK hardcore powerhouse Desolated is a blistering manifesto of modern rage, where thick metallic riffs meet the guttural honesty of hardcore’s roots. Clocking in at just under 24 minutes, the album wastes no time and pulls even fewer punches.
The highly anticipated full length record marks the return of the homegrown hardcore legends after 9 years, and is also the first project with new vocalist Tony Evans (ex Idle Hands), who has more than risen to the occasion. Rather than trying to fill anyone else’s shoes, the frontman has laced up his own and left his mark all over the album with authority.
Joining Evans on the record, Desolated’s lineup brings together a heavy-hitting cast: guitarist Richy Unsworth, bassist Dan Ford, drummer Charlie Thorpe (Malevolence) and guitarist Les Law (Bun Dem Out, Fifty Calibre).
From the opening track ‘The Somper’ you're hit with down-tuned guitars, primal drums, and a vocal delivery that feels more like a personal reckoning than performance. Singles ‘Bite Down’ and ‘Glass Ceiling’ are vicious, raw and as powerful as ever. From the crushing riffs to the thunderous drums, every element is delivered with precision and intensity.
Evans brings a fresh dynamic to the band, his vocal delivery adding a new layer of aggression and depth to Desolated’s already formidable sound, notably on the fast and powerful ‘Never Enough’. His integration into the band feels seamless, indicating a promising future for this revamped lineup.
The production - handled by Grammy-winning producer Will Putney - keeps things raw but clear. The guitars crunch, the bass growls, and the snare hits like a hammer. This record marks the clearest and most precise Desolated have ever sounded, yet it retains the sincere, unfiltered edge that first pulled listeners into their world all those years ago.
Lyrically, the band returned with a clear goal: to pick up exactly where The End, their last record, left off and push even further. Finding Peace is a howl against alienation, intensifying pressure of the world we live in and its ever-growing societal difficulties, and the numbness of modern life. Frontman Tony Evans delivers his lines with the kind of conviction you can’t fake.
‘Endless Betrayal’ kicks off with a blistering display of Desolated’s musicianship, opening on a searing guitar solo that cuts through the mix with surgical precision. It’s backed by thunderous, stomping drums that immediately set a tone of urgency and controlled chaos.
Tracks like ‘Victim 2.0’ and ‘Enemy’ showcase the band’s evolution beyond straightforward aggression. You can’t help but picture the tracks in a live setting, with the lyrics inevitably inviting the audience to sing and shout along. It is heavy, aggressive and as catchy as ever. The breakdowns are also massive, as well as smartly placed and often teased out for maximum emotional payoff.
‘Dead End 2025’ closes the album perfectly - loud, raw, and violently unrelenting.
Finding Peace may not reinvent the wheel, but they’ve definitely lit it on fire and sent it rolling downhill. This record is not only a testament to the Desolated’s enduring presence in the hardcore scene but also introduces a refreshed lineup that breathes new life into their sound. It is an adrenaline-induced release - ferocious, focused, and unwilling to compromise. Hardcore’s heart is still beating, and this record proves it’s pumping harder than ever.
Finding Peace out today May 30 via MLVLTD Music.
