FAEDA waste no time softening the blow on ‘All Thorns No Roses’, a track that trades the immediate punch of ‘Look Me In The Eye’ for something darker, heavier, and far less forgiving. It’s a decisive pivot, one that sees the Thurso outfit lean into tension and emotional volatility rather than the anthemic sheen that first put them on the map.
Rooted in frontman Robbie McNicol’s reflections on manipulation and misplaced trust, the track feels tightly coiled, its sense of unease never quite letting up. There’s a rawness to both the lyricism and delivery that gives ‘All Thorns No Roses’ its edge, turning personal history into something confrontational rather than confessional.
Sonically, FAEDA draws from the theatrical urgency of Panic! At The Disco and the widescreen alt-rock textures of Twin Atlantic, but rework those influences into something sharper and more controlled. The guitars hit harder, the hooks feel more deliberate, and the production carries a weight that amplifies the track’s underlying hostility without losing clarity.
What emerges is a band pushing against their own boundaries. ‘All Thorns No Roses’ doesn’t aim for easy immediacy, instead, it thrives on its intensity, capturing FAEDA in a moment of evolution where risk outweighs comfort. It’s a calculated shift, and one that suggests their upward trajectory is only just beginning.