Coilguns have always thrived on breaking boundaries, but Odd Love marks a bold step in their evolution, showcasing the band’s ability to balance their raw energy with moments of introspective reflection. The Swiss trio’s fourth studio album, set for release on November 22, pulls one into a whirlwind of noise-rock, punk, and thrash metal, all while challenging both the band and their audience to reconsider what a Coilguns record can or should be.
What makes Odd Love so compelling isn’t just the ferocity of its sound but how it channels personal and collective growth into an album that feels as much about self-discovery as it is about the relentless pursuit of artistic expression. The band took a more meticulous approach to this record, allowing time for songs to simmer, with many of the tracks shifting in meaning over months of reflection. This sense of evolution is evident across the album’s varied sonic landscapes, which range from chaotic, thrash-driven anthems to more subdued, almost haunting interludes.
One of the most striking tracks on Odd Love is “Bandwagoning,” which exemplifies Coilguns’ knack for unpredictability. Starting off at a mid-tempo pace, it bursts into rapid-fire, thrash-inspired sections that feel like a cathartic release of pent-up frustration. The chant-like refrains give the song a primal energy, while the verses are delivered in a spoken-word style that add an element of tension that captures the band’s signature intensity. It’s a song that hits with urgency, but also with a sense of ironic detachment, perfectly capturing the band’s refusal to conform to the norms of the music industry or their own past.
Then there’s “The Wind to Wash The Pain,” which shows Coilguns at their most introspective. Driven by melancholic and harmonious layers and a sombre timpani, it’s a moment of quiet reflection in an album filled with upheaval. The track builds from its delicate intro into a fierce climax of distorted guitars, a shift that mirrors the song’s theme of enduring and confronting recurring emotional struggles. While this track departs from the band’s usual high-energy sound, it retains a sense of power and proves that Coilguns’ strength lies not only in their ability to obliterate but also in their ability to slow down and tap into more vulnerable human moments.
Much of Odd Love was born out of the strange, isolating period of the 2020 COVID lockdown, where guitarist Jona Nido wrote the core of the album alone in his home studio. That isolation infused the music with a sense of tension and a hunger for connection, themes that are evident throughout the album. The band’s decision to leave the raw demos untouched and revisit them after weeks of distance speaks to a level of self-awareness and patience that might be surprising to fans who know Coilguns for their unrelenting pace and spontaneity. This shift in process allowed them to hone in on details they might have overlooked in the past, leading to a more refined, yet still unpredictable, record.
With Odd Love, Coilguns have found a way to marry the chaos of their punk and noise roots with a new level of self-awareness. The album’s creation captures a rare moment of synergy between the band and their environment, something that comes across in the final product. It’s clear that the band is operating at the peak of their creative powers and able to experiment with new sounds while never losing the raw intensity that defines them.
Odd Love is a celebration of Coilguns’ unorthodox journey. One that acknowledges both the absurdity and beauty of their existence as a band. It’s a testament to their dedication to doing things their own way, even as the music industry around them shifts and changes. If you’ve ever wondered what it sounds like to navigate a world that feels both broken and exhilarating, Odd Love might just have the answer.
