shame thrive when they can be versatile. They can write a classic punk song built upon delicate, dreamy guitar parts and introspective lyrics, or they can lean into a slow rock groove and strip away metaphor for a straightforward tune about a feeling or concept. Cutthroat, then, is the band at their best: it’s confident, playful, witty, and fully committed to whatever sounds good, regardless of how strange it might appear next to the others.

Musically, Cutthroat jerks the listener in every direction, mimicking the bumps and sharp turns of a frenzied joyride captured on the blurry album cover. “Cutthroat” runs in at full force, overloading itself with heavy guitars that don’t quit, punchy drums that break volume barriers, and over-the-top, hedonistic lyrics spoken in either raw, loud shouts or through a zany autotune filter. “Cowards Around” drops the “do what you want to do” satire of the first track to sing a more direct litany of people who act cowardly, eventually concluding that everyone’s a coward in some way, but it carries on in a more classic English punk manner, harkening back to the band’s roots in their 2018 debut, Songs of Praise. But then the album spins into uncharted territory, which, at times, might leave the listener feeling disoriented. “Lampião,” for instance, follows two sincere, airy alt rock tracks (“Spartak” and “To and Fro”) with a Latin rock, Talking Heads-esque sound that comes out of nowhere, and its synth-pop undertones don’t make a return arguably until the final song, “Axis of Evil.” Likewise, “Packshot” dramatically halts the album’s momentum after the fiery, thrashing “Screwdriver,” offering a lethargic, heavy rock track weighed down by hypnotic guitar loops and lyrics that let out in an exasperated sigh, “Well I’m just holding on!” But, the constant switching of gears doesn’t ever become too much for this particular record. In fact, it’s a perfect solution to both capturing the essence of the album’s theme of stark contradictions and allowing the band to explore something bold and new. Simply put, Cutthroat is a collection of well-written, catchy, and creative songs.

Plus, the tracks still have a cohesive narrative. Cowardice and evil are the two themes that ground the album: many tracks on Cutthroat intertwine the two in a narrative that explores the ways people hurt and exploit each other for fame, money, and personal gain. “Axis of Evil,” for example, rounds out the album with a zippy, autotune-heavy electronic track confronting greed and human exploitation. Gritting through his teeth, vocalist and lyricist Charlie Steen snaps, “You give yourself away / Because you believe value is / Equal to what you pay” before admitting in a playful, sing-songy voice, “You’ll get away with whatever you do / Because nobody knows better than you!” Likewise, the quieter, more classic rock track “Spartak” swings at the social climbers and faux intellectuals, spitting back “You’re no better than me” at those who define themselves based on the people they look down upon.

But, underneath the rage is a plea for understanding, that we’re all flawed human beings, capable of much more than just selfish destruction. “To and Fro” and “Quiet Life” are written from the perspective of a cowardly and exploitative person, whether a materialistic, jealous type or an insecure person refusing to leave an unfulfilling relationship. Yet in both, Steen writes with rawness and sensibility to characters who know they need to live better, and the band follows with equally somber and meditative music. “Quiet Life,” distinct by its folksy steel guitar and raw vocals, incessantly repeats “But I’m a coward” as it to talk oneself out of the more powerful, guilty thought, “‘Round here nothing’s good for me… I need to get away.” Moreover, “To and Fro” is the album’s centerpiece, finding catharsis and sympathy for its protagonist in the short but powerful line, “It’s not about the greed, it’s about the hunger!” This album reveals a greater philosophy that people are driven by the desire to survive. That the cry, “I don’t want much / Just give me everything I need!” by someone that was strained, beaten down, and exploited by more powerful figures merits a bit more empathy and forgiveness than whoever “Cutthroat” and “Axis of Evil” are about. The everyday man is neither right nor wrong in acting on his frustrations; as much of this record boldly argues, he’s just trying to achieve the bare minimum for a good life.

In a year dominated by conflict, outrage, pleas for justice, and moral reevaluation, shame’s Cutthroat becomes an apt, complicated anthem for it. The band is all over the place, absorbing as many influences as they can to give their best and most educated take on it, yet they remain focused on their overall goals to make life kinder, more affordable, and brighter. Noble intentions, clear and resonant lyrics, and fantastic punk rock music: what’s a better combination than that?

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