Emo revival makes a return with rising-talent TEDDYYBEARR’s newest release ‘BLISTERS’. This is the first release since a complete re-branding from the artist’s previous EP ‘RED RED RED’, following a blue theme across all social media.

‘BLISTERS’ is an upbeat dance track paired with soul-crushing lyricism, reminiscent to A Day To Remember, which depicts a deteriorating mental state and the struggles of isolation on the brain. The metalcore-emo fusion anthem will have you bopping in your bedroom whilst nurturing an existential crisis.

This is the first song released by TEDDYYBEARR which has adopted an experimental sound, evocative of recent releases from Bring Me The Horizon, with the chorus crashing into a catchy breakdown formed entirely from vocal manipulation. It’s easy to be distracted by the inventive chorus, but the use of backing-harmonies are thoughtfully utilised to support TEDDYYBEARR’s voice. The vocals in ‘BLISTERS’ are impassioned with dejection, and incorporate some heavier and raw backing vocals which provide a unique contrast.

The bridge provides a heavy breakdown (with intense moshing potential), placing a spotlight on the chuggy guitar before breaking out into a solo that I’m not completely convinced wasn’t written by Ray Toro. And it wouldn’t be a TEDDYYBEARR song if the bridge didn’t slow before coming back full throttle into the final chorus. This signature of the artist will never fail to give me goosebumps.

Lyrically, TEDDYYBEARR has always had a talent for vocalising feelings that you can’t quite describe. It’s not until listening to his music that you have the Eurika moment of “that’s EXACTLY what it’s like!”. Particularly, the chorus resonates largely to those who find themselves overwhelmed and hopeless in such a difficult time, in an era where social media gives rise to FOMO and the “obsessed with all or nothing”.

This is the song I would have screamed in my room at fourteen years old feeling angry at the world, but it’s more fitting to my experiences in my adult life of constantly catching up and falling back, and sacrificing mental wellbeing in favour of juggling every other priority and completely checking out.