Album Review: Sprints, All That Is Over

On the finale of their Choice-nominated debut, Letter To Self, Sprints frontwoman Karla Chubb made a raucous declaration: “I don’t have to take the path that was carved in front of me.”

It’s a fitting precursor to what would become their pummelling sophomore follow-up, All That Is Over. Across 11 tracks, the Dublin outfit push even further at the boundaries of expectation, carving out new space and putting pedal to the metal like never before.

Opener ‘Abandon’ clicks the gears of All That Is Over into place, laying down a haunting-yet-mellow collusion of sneering guitars and brooding percussion. ‘To The Bones’ follows suit with its stripped-down acoustics, before descending into a hellish, metallic wall of sound. Now we’re cooking with grease…

Set against the backdrop of countless global atrocities, All That Is Over throbs with sonic rage. The wrathful ‘Pieces’ is a standout: driven by thundering riffage and Chubb’s cold-blooded vocals, it’s destined to become a live staple. Other highlights include the abstract profundities of ‘Descartes’ and the anarchic closer ‘Desire’.

By turns startling and seismic, All That Is Over continues the band’s knack of crafting snarling, explosive bangers, cementing Sprints’ status as one of the most compelling acts in rock.

8.5/10