On the 2020 concept album, The Bastards, Palaye Royale carried on laying the foundations for their lofty ambitions. While it showcased a band carving out their own niche, it didn’t reach the heights of their full potential. Fast-forward over two years, and we are met with a band who have ripped out the bits that didn’t land so well and put their attention into the parts they’re masters of. What they have created in over 50 minutes is deliciously bold, stratospheric rock songs brimming with optimism, ambition, and euphoria. From start to finish, it is authentically Palaye Royale with their distinct swagger being a blueprint to their art-punk meets stadium rock. Opener Eternal Life teeters on the very edges of Britpop, with Remington Leith’s screeches met ...