Post punk fans paying close attention to the US underground in 2024 might have encountered Looking Glass War. The band – featuring Boston scene regulars Mike Ackley and Pete Ziegler – released a couple of impressive tracks which took their hybrid of post punk and goth sounds, as laid out on their 2023 EP ‘Where Neon Meets The Rain’ EP, and very much improved on them. These recordings demonstrated a much tighter command of a riff, but more importantly, captured frontman Goddamn Glen singing in a way that seemed more sympathetic to Looking Glass War’s needs.
As time went on, it seemed as if those singles were destined to be stand-alone tracks lost in a sea of noise. Thankfully, Looking Glass War realised they were onto a good thing, and knowing they potentially had a couple of their best songs to date in hand, recycled them for their 2025 EP ‘Saints of The Lost and Found’. As a whole work, ‘Saints’ plays brilliantly.
Almost a year on from its original release, the lead track ‘See You In Hell, Liberty Bell’ sounds as good as ever. Despite opening with a pointed guitar riff that hints at an old school UK punk influence, the number quickly slides into a punchy, bass oriented goth-pop arrangement which sounds like something that would have suited Billy Idol circa 1987. Then, when the chorus hits, the band changes the mood yet again, introducing a few lighter influences from a melodic rock pool, which allows a great vocal – with Glen already far more restrained than on the previous EP – plenty of room to approach a very 90s sounding hook. With one of the band’s best vocals to date and a pleasingly bright guitar sound, this track has a solid core, but the way LGW use those elements to keep everything buoyant really makes the track. From almost the very beginning, the bass dances behind the more prominent guitar, and the fuller sounding chorus introduces a ringing guitar sound that really taps into a very commercial retro-alternative sound. Glen’s voice, too, is more than commendable; the way he breathes a huge melodic streak into a very simple “hey” to kick start a great chorus feels a world away from his bellowing style on the band’s earlier recordings. Originally takes a back seat, but in terms of bringing various enjoyable elements together, ‘…Liberty Bell’ does a near flawless job, and this track shows a huge leap forward for the band.
‘Rumination House’ is a number that shows off an even more melodic streak. The track works a brilliant sound that, again, mixes 80s goth pop with rock edge. Here, a shimmering guitar part seems keen to slip into something a bit more dream pop oriented and the two moods work together rather effortlessly in tandem. Those brighter guitar sounds do some very heavy lifting throughout, since they work as a strong, very positive sounding counter melody to some of the number’s more traditionally downbeat sounds. The bass is high in the mix, pushing with an almost funky core that carries a hint of Simon Gallup’s muscular sound, but if anything sticks here, it’s the lead vocal. Glen shares a far more mature sound, tempering his delivery to allow a softer croon to weave in and out of the fantastic bass work. If you’re looking for something retro and melodic, somewhere between post punk, goth-pop and dream pop, then this will have your listening needs more than covered.
The previously unreleased ‘Seance By The RCA’, meanwhile, is a little tougher around the edges. The rhythm guitar immediately hits upon a harsh, clangy sound, whilst a loud snare drum cracks through the wall of sound that’s being built. It isn’t an entire aural assault, however; the verse introduces a great, buoyant rhythm, allowing for another great bass dance courtesy of Mike Ackley, and the arrangement, as a whole, shows off a tight band at work. This continues throughout most of a punchy workout, but things improve further still during a busy middle eight where Pete’s guitar takes on more of an emo/punk tone whilst Glen taps into a repetitive vocal refrain. That makes up for Glen’s presence elsewhere; there are parts of this track where he appears to have rediscovered his older voice and, as such, spends most of this number attempting to take the dominant role. It’s probably one of those tunes where less could’ve been more, figuratively speaking. As such, this takes a few more plays to stick, especially for the unfamiliar listener, but those who’ve followed LGW’s progress since the beginning are likely to enjoy it.
In closing, ‘Adamantine Chain Gang’ presents a solid bass groove and a distinctly 80s guitar tone that makes it even harder to ignore the classic goth influence that drives the track, even before vocalist Glen adds a massive, almost theatrical croon. A defiantly upbeat number, this works the whole band really hard, and the result – falling somewhere between ‘Ghost Dance’ era Death Cult and the more melodic elements of Bauhaus – is surprisingly catchy. It doesn’t quite match ‘Rumination House’ for all round timeless alternative appeal, but it’s definitely a great example of a solid band at work, and an even greater example of how music needn’t always plough forward into new territory to impress.
This may be a very small musical package, but the listening rewards are often huge. After some early promise, these tracks iron out many of Looking Glass War’s rougher edges, and also show them to be strong songwriters. In the case of ‘Rumination House’ especially, the use of dour vocal melodies contrasted by a breezy 80s chorus creates a perfect homage to the past. For those who invested listening time and the small cost of a download in some of these tracks previously, there will certainly be some gratification in seeing these pieces get a proper send off, but it’s the new fans that’ll have the most to gain: those approaching this EP with a fresh ear may well discover something that they’ll love as much as The Bolshoi and other melodic goth fare back in the day. A highly recommended EP.
March 2025