Album Review: Sonnet 13 – We’re Here

Manchester basted trio Sonnet 13 recently announced the arrival of the debut album, the appropriately titled We’re Here, the album is also the debut release from newly launched Manchester, UK based independent punk imprint Lickerish Records. Sonnet 13’s first full length follows on from the A Tale Of Two Cities split EP that was released in 2018. I caught Sonnet 13 last year opening for Unholy Alliance and Dead Objectives, that night I observed that on the basis of their set their debut full length should be something to look forward to, I wasn’t wrong. 

Introspection kicks things off, ironic for an album that is the polar opposite of the indie shoegaze albums that have practically copywritten that word, what Sonnet 13 have delivered is a brutal hardcore fuelled crossover that carries equal influences from thrash metal and hardcore’s roots. There are intense breakdowns that punctuate the full tilt hardcore assaults and thrash attacks, tracks such as As One and Still On This Journey owe more to their metal influences, but this is counterbalanced by the likes of Against and The Black Inside that lean more towards the hardcore influences. There is no respite on We’re Here until you get to the final track, The 13th Sonnet, that sits somewhat incongruously with its spoken word and mellow metal guitar histrionics

We’re Here is a serious statement of intent, Sonnet 13 are here and I suspect that it will be difficult to ignore them as they’ve already played at the 0161 Festival and Manchester Punk Festival and are set to play more festivals and shows both in the UK and mainland Europe. It must be said that We’re Here is unlikely to appeal to the punk purists, but if you love old school thrash crossover or the more metallic side of hardcore then Sonnet 13 could well be your new favourite band.

We’re Here can be streamed and purchased via the Lickerish Records Bandcamp here

Sonnet 13 can be found on Facebook here