REVIEW: Love is Noise - The space between happiness and heartache.
Already labelled as one of the UK’s most exciting heavy bands, LOVE IS NOISE are far from happy to stand still and bask in the success of their debut album, To Live In A Different Way. Instead, they’ve self-produced their latest four-track EP; The space between happiness and heartache.
The trio from Nottingham consists of Cam Humphrey on drums, Alex Ioannou on bass and lead guitar, alternating with fellow guitarist Sam Clark. Alex takes on a much more prominent and busier role as lead vocalist, ultimately adding a new and exciting layer to the band.
Interestingly, this shows that the band have fully embraced this EP as a way of developing and finding their sound. Cam and Alex co-produced the tracks, and it feels more authentic and emotionally driven, which in this genre excels and pushes authentic and emotional work.
What’s also worth appreciating is the album artwork. Not one piece or influence of AI features in the music, and the band wanted that to reflect in the artwork and refused to use it on the album cover. Instead, the artwork has been entirely hand-drawn by artist @msudrawings. It’s a dystopian setting which takes influence from the DC Universe, with dark elements oozing and pouring out of the image. It’s brilliant.
The colour and detail within it applaud the craftsmanship and show how human input is much more powerful and creatively beautiful compared to the AI slop that, as a society, we’re drowning in.
The opening track is smile. It opens with what sounds like a record being played via a tape or record player, giving it a sense of eeriness. Then the vocals hit, with the combination of Alex taking on his new role alongside the additional voice of Casper Frisk. The Swedish singer, who is best known for being the vocalist of heavy metal bands PALESKIN and HEARTACHES, brings such a great addition to this song. Alex is challenging himself by taking on a more prominent vocal performance, and an already established and successful vocalist can sometimes overshadow their counterpart. However, they blend together so well that at times it’s difficult to differentiate which singer is taking centre stage - a compliment to both as a pair and as individuals.
The melody within the chorus is a very strong positive to this song. It blends the screams and softer notes in the bridge, while elements of BEARTOOTH ooze out of this track. The drums are very consistent and a strong reminder that this is a heavy track, even when the vocals sway in and out.
Up next; the rain that follows me. It’s a much slower, more controlled track. But what is such a great point about this track is the screams. They aren’t erratic nor are they strained. They hit the chambers of the soul and set the hairs up on the back of the neck. For an artist who has taken on a bigger role, it’s a breath of fresh air to hear such talent, and the track is produced so well. The guitars are just as heavy as the drums, and this needs to happen. They can’t screech and riff erratically because it would overshadow the vocals and overcomplicate the track.
The penultimate track is crying in the dark., and this is where things take a strange turn. The track is a transitional piece of music. It’s one minute and 27 seconds long, and the first half is distorted chords and muffled noise. Then some harmonious tones creep in and drift through the track as it builds up. The melody is actually really well composed and has a sense of SLEEP TOKEN to it, which works so well in today’s music scene, but then it abruptly stops. It’s almost random. The song abruptly ends and the final track kicks in. When it’s played in order of the album, it works; however, if this track is on shuffle, it could seem out of place. For such a short EP, the need for an interlude seems like a waste, and there is a sense of wonder about what this track could have been if it had been developed further.
The final track is fury., and the title isn’t wrong for the description. It’s aggressive, it’s angry, it’s gnarly, and it’s by far the heaviest track they’ve released to date. Again, it’s a somewhat short track, but there is enough time to fully appreciate those banshee-esque screams in the background that mirror and the equally harrowing yet impressive screams courtesy of Alex. The distorted voice comes across as if it’s a warning to the audience. It breaks up the aggression, yet it doesn’t suppress it. It’s a heavy metal track that fits the criteria the greats have set before them, and LOVE IS NOISE have nailed it with this track.
The EP is another great showcase for LOVE IS NOISE. Whether it be the impressive lead vocal debut performances by Alex and Cameron, the heavier direction of Fury, or the more experimental approach taken throughout the EP, The space between happiness and heartache. pushes that balance further than ever before. It’s heavier, more vulnerable and more expansive. LOVE IS NOISE have exerted themselves and pushed their new ideas into the music scene. Whether it hits or doesn’t, it’s an EP that they’ve poured their happiness and heartbreak into.
Score: 8/10
The space between happiness and heartache. will be released on 9th October 2026 via Bloodblast.
Words: David Waites
Photos: Richard Mukuze
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