REVIEW: Turnstile - Never Enough

It’s no secret that those of us at Out Of Rage Network are huge Turnstile fans. After all, our very name comes from their incredible 2016 release, 'Non-Stop Feeling'. Since then, we’ve watched the Baltimore five-piece evolve from one of modern hardcore’s most vital voices into a truly boundary-defying force. With 2021’s 'GLOW ON', Turnstile didn’t just cross over—they obliterated genre lines entirely, delivering a sound as euphoric as it was aggressive and opening doors for a new generation of open-minded heavy music fans in the process.

Now, with 'NEVER ENOUGH', the band releases their most anticipated record to date. And if the lead-up to this album has proven anything, it’s that Turnstile’s success hasn’t distanced them from their roots—it’s deepened them. Earlier this year, they played their first show of 2025 in true Turnstile fashion: a free, all-ages benefit concert in their hometown of Baltimore. The show raised over $35,000 to support vital services for unhoused individuals—an act of generosity that reinforced their commitment to the community that shaped them.

The band also enters this new chapter with a key lineup shift: Meg Mills, who fans will recognize from her time with Big Cheese and Chubby and the Gang, has officially joined as a full-time member. Having previously stepped in as a touring guitarist, her addition is both well-deserved and widely celebrated, bringing even more energy and punk lineage into the fold. Notably, this is the band’s first release without founding guitarist Brady Ebert, who departed in 2022 shortly after the release of 'GLOW ON'.

Can Turnstile once again expand the scope of what hardcore can be without losing the pulse that’s always driven them?

NEVER ENOUGH

To put it bluntly, the answer is yes. ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ is a triumphant release that will no doubt become a firm favourite of fans both old and new. Whilst it’s true that Turnstile have shifted their sound significantly away from that of their roots, that core element is still there. The energy, the passion. Those who argue the band is now too mainstream or no longer a hardcore band are missing the point. The band are a driving force behind a new legacy of hardcore music. Turnstile, having spun out of Trapped Under Ice way back in 2010, wear their hardcore roots with pride.

The naysayers will write this off as ‘GLOW ON 2’, which doesn’t give either record the credit it deserves. Whilst ‘GLOW ON’ has clearly laid the foundation for Turnstile’s ever-evolving sound, each record to date has been a distinctly separate era for the band, with a new sound and a new image. The band's passion has never been more evident either, with frontman Brendan Yates co-directing a 50-minute visual album that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

We knew from the start that this album would be stylistically eclectic. Pre-release singles 'NEVER ENOUGH', 'SEEIN’ STARS', 'BIRDS' and 'LOOK OUT FOR ME' each hinted at different directions. Yet somehow, with the guidance of iconic producer Will Yip, Turnstile have created something so magical—so cohesively brilliant—that it defies all expectations. Not just expectations for what a Turnstile record can be but for what hardcore can sound like in 2025.

In many ways, 'NEVER ENOUGH' feels like the natural culmination of everything Turnstile have been building toward for the past decade. Fully embracing melody and experimentation in a way previous releases were always a little too hesitant to touch upon. The sequencing is meticulous, the pacing feels cinematic, and the emotional weight hits harder with each listen. Themes of loneliness and heartbreak are a common thread throughout.

Whether you like hardcore or not, there's something here for everyone. The record is almost genre-agnostic, fusing elements of emo, synth-pop, and even a touch of R&B. There's even a flute solo (have SPEED started a new trend in hardcore? If so, we're here for it). The entire album flows so effectively that it feels almost effortless. Genres blend in ways we haven't really seen before, but it's executed so perfectly that it feels natural.

'MAGIC MAN' closes out the album with a somber, synth-driven ballad. It's an aptly melancholic bookend to this phenomenally well-crafted album. It's hauntingly beautiful and a sad reminder that we'll likely have to wait a couple of years for a follow-up to 'NEVER ENOUGH'.

Gatekeepers be damned, Turnstile are still as grounded in their hardcore roots as they’ve always been. They have remained open-minded to external influences and have formulated a sound that's uniquely their own in every sense—and we can't wait to see how they continue to grow and evolve. If you're lucky enough to be catching them at Outbreak London or Glastonbury this year, you're almost certain to witness one of the most iconic performances of the decade.

Charlie XCX was right. It truly is a Turnstile Summer.

10/10

Words: Andy Nile