W: Kerry Blake I: Luke Ivanovich

Brooklyn’s MX LONELY doesn't just play loud; they play with a purpose. Their debut album, ALL MONSTERS (out now via Julia’s War Recordings), is a masterclass in "heavygaze"—a visceral blend of murky alt-rock, jagged post-punk, and cavernous shoegaze that feels as much like a prayer as it does a riot.

Brooklyn’s MX LONELY doesn't just play loud; they play with a purpose. Their debut album, ALL MONSTERS, released via Julia’s War Recordings, arrives as a masterclass in "heavy gaze"—a visceral blend of murky alt-rock and cavernous shoegaze that feels as much like a spiritual exorcism as it does a rock record. By self-recording the project, the four-piece has successfully captured the raw, "on-edge" energy of their legendary New York live sets, allowing the eight tracks to stretch into their most expansive and ambitious compositions to date.

The record serves as a profound exploration of "shadow work," with vocalist Rae Haas utilizing "monsters" as symbols for the universal struggles of trauma, addiction, neurodivergence, and self-doubt. Throughout the album, the band confronts these internal demons not as enemies to be feared, but as parts of a collective human tapestry. From the internal tug-of-war between sensation and paralysis in the track "Anaesthetic" to the jagged riffs and assertive defiance of "Return to Sender," the music transforms the act of survival into a cathartic, communal experience for the listener.