ALBUM REVIEW: KANADIA - THE FIRE THAT’S TEARING THROUGH OUR HOME (26/09/25)
Oxford’s alternative rock outfit Kanadia return with their third and most mature record to date, The Fire That’s Tearing Through Our Home, a 12-track exploration of fragility, resilience, and catharsis. Produced at Evolution Recording Studios in their hometown by Chris Barker (guitarist for Willie J. Healey) and mixed by Tom Leach (Lewis Capaldi, Pa Salieu, Spiritualized) at London’s Snap Studios, the album achieves both polish and rawness, perfectly framing the band’s growth.
This new era is further defined by the addition of Brazilian-born bassist Everton Barbato, whose energy and precision complete the lineup with Melissa Marshall (synth/keys), Tim Lucas (drums), and frontman James Bettis (vocals/guitar).
The album opens with ‘I’m Falling’, a brooding six-minute track that channels Radiohead’s moody minimalism before erupting into guitars and pulsing electronics recalling the likes of TV On The Radio and LCD Soundsystem. It’s a powerful start, tackling the weight of agoraphobia with a sound that feels both haunting and transcendent.
From there, Kanadia showcase their range. ‘The Ways’ leans into gritty shoegaze with echoes of The Stone Roses, while ‘I Can’t Feel The Sunlight’ lifts the mood with its War On Drugs-inspired drive, shimmering guitars, and uplifting energy.
Moments of quiet reflection also shine. ‘How Do You Sleep strips things back to acoustic guitar and Bettis’ voice before expanding into a full-band release, ‘Over Again’ delivers raw, gritty vocals that echo the intensity of Muse’s early works, while ‘Too Late Now, a standout centerpiece Bettis calls his “pièce de résistance”, pairs heavy riffs with beautiful harmonies, reflecting on the sacrifices demanded by a life in music. “For me the journey started when I was 10, when I first heard Nirvana,” he says. That personal connection makes the song both intimate and universal.
Elsewhere, Kanadia also embrace urgency. ‘Hey’ and ‘Wired’ are punchy and direct, ‘Going Nowhere’ is a huge soaring anthem reminiscent of the likes of U2 and ‘Slide Off The Earth’ channels the haunted atmospherics of Echo & the Bunnymen and The Jesus and Mary Chain with its reverberating slide guitar and shadowy pulse.
At the heart of the record lies Bettis’ lyrical soul-searching. Written during periods of anxiety and self-doubt, the songs grapple with identity, memory, and survival while balancing darkness with light, crafting an album that ultimately uplifts as much as it confronts.
“I just love the phrase, the fire that's tearing through our home,” Bettis explains of the title track, which closes the record with aching beauty. “I felt like the home was the band and it was all being ripped apart. I was using imagery to talk about how things had gone to shit and didn’t want it to. I wanted to hold on to the pieces.”
Indeed, ‘The Fire That's Tearing Through Our Home’ - our favourite track of the album - stands out with its beautiful intensity, a deeply personal reflection on the band’s struggles that unfolds into a moving, powerful finale.
By the time the title track closes the record, the journey feels both heavy and uplifting, a testament to perseverance. With The Fire That’s Tearing Through Our Home, Kanadia achieve a rare balance: a mature record steeped in introspection yet capable of filling vast spaces with its sound. It’s a powerful reminder that even in times of anxiety and chaos, music offers not just an escape but a path through hope.
