After bursting open with a pummelling beat, ’Dark Patterns’ quickly comes to life, first with a looming bass chug before exploding into a wall of guitars that hits us from all angles with its dense fuzz. Built around a hypnotic riff that grows more caustic as the track unravels, there’s a powerful sense of amounting intensity as things progress; especially as the harsh vocals buried beneath the surface begin to poke out of the swirl, adding an extra touch of nervousness to the soundscape.

As ‘Dark Patterns’ stretches out, the track becomes deliriously murky, with every abrasive swarm of guitar rushing to fill any gap available while Rhys Overall’s vocals begin to tower over the mix. It’s enthralling in the most confronting and visceral sense, and it’s only when the relentless groove finally grinds to a halt that the overwhelming force of the track seems to come crushing over us.

Speaking about the track, the band explain “The idea behind ‘Dark Patterns’ was to explore the theme of power and manipulation through technology. It’s an idea that makes people feel uneasy, so we wanted to capture that musically by creating a feeling of anxious energy using fuzzed guitars, driving drums and crunchy bass. The narrative itself plays on the design concept of ‘Dark Patterns’ and explores it from two different perspectives - from those who use it and from those who are used by it. A husky vocal represents the former to give the feeling of secrecy and darkness, while a louder vocal represents the latter to give a sense of frustration and awakening. The story is ultimately one of redemption and of breaking free from the mould.”