ALBUM REVIEW: STORM - JOIN THE STORM (22/08/25)
Join The Storm out 22 August via Indie Recordings
With millions of TikTok views, a fast-rising fanbase, and a reputation for explosive live shows, STORM - Leo Davadi Sundli - has quickly become one of Norway’s most compelling new artists. In just the past year, he’s been named “Name of the Month” by GAFFA Nordics, nominated for “Breakthrough of the Year” at the Norwegian Music Publishing Awards, and brought his genre-blurring intensity to some of Europe’s biggest stages, from Tons of Rock to Summer Breeze Open Air to the legendary Download Festival. He’s even lit up primetime TV in Norway - proof that his music connects across generations, bridging the underground and the mainstream.
Now, after four years in the making, STORM unveils his debut album Join the Storm, a bold and uncompromising statement of identity. Drawing inspiration from Bring Me The Horizon, Falling in Reverse, Billie Eilish, and YUNGBLUD, STORM has crafted a sound as unpredictable as it is personal - weaving together pop-punk, metalcore, EDM, rap, and soaring ballads into one restless, high-voltage journey.
The album kicks off with the title track, ‘Join The Storm’ - a short but powerful opener that immediately pulls you into its electro-cyberpunk world. There’s something hauntingly beautiful about the angelic female voice chanting “Join the Storm,” slowly building anticipation before everything explodes into a pulsing beat. It flows effortlessly into ‘Moonlight’, a track that’s been close to STORM’s heart since he wrote it back in 2021. Here, his clean, emotive vocals cut through a gritty rock foundation layered with synth textures - a perfect example of how he balances raw intensity with melody.
On ‘Alien Perspective’ STORM leans into his rapping skills over an electrified beat and more synths elements. The verses build into a heavy rock chorus powered by electric guitars and pounding drums, striking a sharp contrast that keeps the track unpredictable and highlighting STORM’s fusion of genres, highly recurrent throughout the record.
‘Walking Dead’ launches straight into STORM’s brutal deathcore growls, raw and unapologetic. It’s a jarring, powerful intro that quickly gives way to his signature clean vocals. Lyrically, the track hits a nerve, digging into feelings of alienation and the pressure to conform - a refusal to be judged or boxed in. The chorus soars with an anthemic punch, echoing the energy of bands like Falling in Reverse, making it one of the album’s most gripping and accessible moments.
Then comes ‘Suffocating’, a standout collaboration with genre-defying band Fixation. There’s a tension in the track and vulnerability, clashing with moments of controlled chaos. It’s fierce, emotional, and it doesn’t hold back. Lyrically, it feels like a declaration: a refusal to stay quiet, to fit the mold, or to let others define you. That raw honesty runs deep throughout the album, but here, it cuts especially sharp.
For an artist who thrives on breaking boundaries and not being boxed in, so far the album itself exactly embodies that ethos: Join The Storm is dark, raw, and refreshingly unpredictable, reflecting STORM’s refusal to follow a straight line.
Next up is ‘Black Hole’, where sharp pop-punk hooks collide with guitar riffs and a soaring chorus, radiating pure, unstoppable energy - it’s punchy and infectious. ‘Fame’ pulls things back toward rock territory, with pounding drums and driving guitars giving it that larger-than-life, anthemic feel. Then there’s ‘Running From My Heart’, a tender ballad that places STORM’s vocals front and center, allowing his emotive delivery to shine over a beautifully crafted melody.
The journey ends with ‘Fever Dreams’, an explosive collaboration with Canadian rapper Snak The Ripper. A high-voltage fusion of metalcore, pop-rock, and electronic energy that leaves listeners with a powerful and unforgettable finale.
Join the Storm isn’t just a debut album - it’s a declaration of intent from an artist who refuses to be confined by genre. STORM charges through raw metalcore breakdowns, tender ballads, high-octane pop-punk hooks, and electronic soundscapes with ease. What ties it all together is his unmistakable voice and vision: no matter how far he pushes the boundaries, the identity remains sharp, consistent, and unapologetically his own, delivering a compelling record that has something for everyone.
