When Foals returned from a two-year absence post ‘Total Life Forever’, they didn’t sneak back.
Reinvigorated, they roared, snarled and pounded their way into our ears with ‘Inhaler’, a wrecking ball of a track featuring almost five minutes of stonkingly filthy riffs, Yannis squealing like Perry Farrell with his leathers a bit too tight.

Having released their heaviest track to date, delegated production duties to Flood and Moulder (Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails) and entitled album number three ‘Holy Fire’, it was the first unsubtle hint that a heavier, darker reinvention was on the cards.

Lyrically, ‘Holy Fire’ is gripped by ideas of departure, destruction and redemption: ‘Bad Habit’ wants to “wash the stains away” and pleads “don’t follow me”, ‘Everytime’ sees Yannis yelp “I’ve fallen down”, whilst ‘Late Night’ hopes for someone to “pull me to my feet again”.

Far from the puzzling abstractions of ‘Antidotes’, here Philippakis’s words are open and raw. As for their sound, it’s as vital and as fresh as ever.

Bouncy indie pop sits shoulder to shoulder with expansive soundscapes and the crescendo remains king. Still, this time around everything is bigger, bolder and funkier.

Stadium-sized, even? We’ll soon see.

Sophie Thomsett