Amyl and the Sniffers Stretch Past the Mosh Pit on Cartoon Darkness

Cartoon Darkness is Amyl and the Sniffers at their most restless. The band’s third album keeps the raw, snotty punk energy that made their name, but it pushes hard against the edges of that sound. There are pop hooks, slower introspection, and a few experiments that don’t quite land. It is a record that wants to be bigger than the mosh pit, and mostly, it succeeds.

The 13-Track Run

The album opens with a statement of intent. Jerkin’ is pure garage-punk fuzz, a two-minute blast that sets the tone before the band starts pulling the rug out.

Chewing Gum follows with a sticky, repetitive riff that burrows into the brain. It is the sound of the band leaning into their poppier instincts without losing the sneer. Tiny Bikini keeps the momentum, short and snappy, all swagger and no filler.

Big Dreams is where the record shifts. It is slower, more considered, and the vocal delivery carries a weariness that cuts through the noise. The ambition is real here, and it lands. It’s Mine snaps back to the old formula, a frantic burst of pure id.

Motorbike Song is a straightforward rocker, solid but unremarkable. Doing in Me Head wrestles with anxiety over a driving beat, and it is one of the more interesting turns on the record, even if the chorus doesn’t fully stick.

Pigs is the kind of confrontational, noisy track the band does best. It is ugly, intentional, and cathartic. Bailing on Me brings the heartbreak, a punk ballad that shows range as a writer. It is a highlight.

U Should Not Be Doing That is the single for a reason. It is the most immediate thing here, a chant-along anthem with a bassline that refuses to let go. Do It Do It is pure adrenaline, barely holding together, and it works. Going Somewhere is the odd one out, a slower, more atmospheric piece that feels like a band testing their limits. It is interesting, but it breaks the flow.

Me and the Girls closes the record with a defiant, celebratory note. It is a fitting end, a reminder that for all the experimentation, this is still a band about noise and letting loose.

The Verdict

The album’s weakness is its length. At 13 tracks and 33 minutes, a few of the middle cuts — Motorbike Song, Doing in Me Head — feel like padding. The band’s ambition occasionally outruns their execution, and the more experimental moments don’t always cohere with the punk core.

But the highs are high. Jerkin’, Bailing on Me, and U Should Not Be Doing That are among the best songs the band has written. The vocalist is a commanding presence throughout, funny, furious, and vulnerable in equal measure. The record is confident, confrontational, and never boring.

Cartoon Darkness is a step forward. It is not a flawless one, but it is a bold one. Amyl and the Sniffers are reaching for something bigger, and they mostly grab it.

• Jerkin’ — blistering opener
• Bailing on Me — emotional standout

• U Should Not Be Doing That — instant anthem

• Album: Cartoon Darkness

• Artist: Amyl and the Sniffers
• Release: 2024
• Tracks: 13
• Runtime: 33 minutes
• Score: 8/10

album review · Amyl and the Sniffers · Cartoon Darkness · garage punk · punk rock