Brighton punk trio Self Torque prepare to release their debut album A Brutal Nadir on January 30, 2026 via Sugar-Free Records. The ten-track record delivers a fast, tense burst of punk built on urgency, distortion, and raw emotion. While rooted in classic punk instincts, the album pulls from a wide range of influences, blending sharp pop hooks with aggressive garage energy.
Recorded at Brighton Electric and produced by Mark Roberts, the album captures a live, high-pressure feel. The production stays close and immediate, allowing the songs to hit hard without smoothing out their edges. Guitars are loud and rough, the rhythm section stays tight and driving, and everything feels pushed right to the limit. The sound is direct and confrontational, but never careless.
Self Torque formed out of Brighton’s DIY punk scene, led by vocalist and guitarist Gabriel MacKenzie alongside drummer Luke Ellis and bassist Jay Cross. All three bring years of scene experience, which shows in the band’s locked-in performances and sharp timing. Their live reputation continues to grow, with upcoming shows scheduled across the UK, including an appearance at Manchester Punk Festival in April.
MacKenzie’s vocals sit at the center of the album’s intensity. His delivery feels urgent and strained, often sounding like it could fall apart at any moment. Melodies are cracked and emotional, pushed forward by a sense of necessity rather than polish. The lyrics lean into exhaustion, frustration, and survival, capturing a constant tension between collapse and resistance.
Musically, A Brutal Nadir moves between fuzz-heavy pop-punk and lean, aggressive punk rock. Some moments favor catchy hooks and big choruses, while others strip things down to sharp riffs and pounding rhythms. The band draws from both melodic punk traditions and garage-punk aggression, creating songs that feel frantic but controlled.
The next track from the album, “High Temperature Serpent,” arrives on January 14 and offers another look at the band’s confrontational style. Fast, cutting, and unfiltered, it sharpens the album’s themes of pressure and defiance.
A Brutal Nadir introduces Self Torque as a band driven by urgency and resolve. Loud, tense, and emotionally charged, the album captures punk as a release valve—and a refusal to stop pushing forward.
Watch the video for (All the Things I) Wannabe:
