Once upon a time, you may have known Halflives as a band but, with the imminent release of ‘Inferno’, it’s time to learn that Halflives is now the solo project of vocalist Linda Battilani. Described as Linda’s “personal descent into hell, a collection of my demons wrapped up into five songs”, this release is damn near perfection.
Opener ‘everybody knows it’ is a fantastic summer soundtrack, with punchy lyrics such as “You’re full of shit, and everybody knows it”. It’s cathartic and full of angst, simple, yet effective – full of brash defiance, it’s hard to not sing along to that incredibly catchy chorus.
‘sorry mom x’ is packed full of huge hooks and powerful drum work, and will identify with the majority, if not all, of Halflives listeners. Words such as “I’m a loser, just like everyone else” feels like it could have been lifted from the diary of every teenager across the world who feels out of touch with their peers and wider society.
Then there’s ‘Dynamite’, which absolutely soars. It’s a touching yet rousing love song, with lines such as, “She lights me up like dynamite and is the only thing that makes me feel alive”, which was made for screaming along in small, sweaty venues. Battilani’s gorgeous vocals really make this track shine – it’s utterly beautiful, and enough to choke you up. This song is the absolute highlight of the entire release… there’s no question about it.
‘EVERYTHING SUCKS!’ feels like a teenager in song form, especially when you find yourself yelling, “Screw you, and you, and you too!” Defiant, raw, and full of dangerous energy, it’s packed with delicious guitar licks and is an instant ear worm. And then the release closes off with ‘Oblivion’; a breathy and almost-ethereal track, it crescendos into a vibrant and bold track, with dynamic guitar work blended with Battilani’s alluring voice. The only downfall of this final track? It’s not long enough!
‘Inferno’ is packed with delicious riffs and absolutely gorgeous vocals from Linda Battilani; the utter power behind each and every word that’s sung in this EP is staggering, smooth, and stunning. Simply put, this is the perfect EP to fuel those long summer nights. There’s something incredibly cleansing and liberating about this release – each track will leave you feeling lighter as you sing along.
JESS TAGLIANI