Right, cards on the table — I don’t spend every waking minute listening to Black, Death, or Thrash Metal. Shocking, I know. Sometimes, after hours of having my ears sandblasted by blast beats and guttural howls, I just want to hear something that doesn’t sound like the apocalypse on repeat. Sometimes I want guitars that shimmer instead of slice, choruses that soar instead of scream, and lyrics that deal with heartbreak rather than human sacrifice. Slowly Falling Apart by Analog Amara is exactly that kind of record — a much-needed shot of melody, energy, and pure Rock catharsis.
This five-track debut EP does something rare in a scene oversaturated with overproduction and fake emotion: it feels real. You can hear the band bleeding sincerity into every note, like they’ve lived every line of heartbreak, every stumble through late-night bars and half-broken memories. This isn’t plastic, pre-packaged radio fluff. It’s the kind of alternative rock that remembers what “rock” actually means — guitars that bite, bass that throbs, and drums that drive every melody forward with purpose.
And then there’s Amanda Hawkins, whose voice is the lightning bolt that sets the whole damn thing on fire. There’s vulnerability and venom in equal measure — she can croon, she can belt, and she can cut straight through the mix like a blade. When she hits those choruses, you feel it. The kind of goosebumps you get when a song accidentally hits too close to home.
Musically, Slowly Falling Apart has one foot in the golden age of early 2000s alt-rock — think Paramore’s urgency, Garbage’s sleek grit, and a touch of Stone Temple Pilots swagger — but it never sounds dated. There’s a freshness to it, a modern sheen that proves Analog Amara know exactly who they are and what they’re doing. Every track is tight, hook-laden, and confident as hell, the kind of songs that make you nod your head without even realising it.
What I love most about Slowly Falling Apart is that it never tries too hard. It’s not pretending to reinvent rock; it’s just doing it right. There’s power, there’s melody, and there’s heart — the holy trinity of great rock music. You can hear the sweat, the care, the emotion, and that makes all the difference.
By the time the last chorus fades, you’re left smiling — maybe even dancing like Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club (and yeah, I fucking did). Because sometimes, after all the darkness, you need a little light. And Slowly Falling Apart delivers it in spades.
Slowly Falling Apart by Analog Amara is due out November 7th.
CHOICE CUT: Is It All
BLACK METAL ARCHIVES VERDICT: Slowly Falling Apart is everything an Alternative Rock debut should be — heartfelt, catchy, and crackling with life. It’s proof that melody can still be heavy, emotion can still hit hard, and rock can still fucking rock.
