The New EP from NoirAddiction Breeds A Heavy-Handed Grittiness With A Perfect Blend Of Industrial-Rock
- BuzzSlayers
- Jul 25
- 7 min read
An EP release from NoirAddiction pulls together elements of industrial, alternative, and more to build these sorts of cinematic and spacious atmospheres coated with dark aesthetics, and the whole thing serves as an escape that can just pull you away from wherever you are and whatever you're doing and put you in this completely different headspace for a little chunk of time.
This is a record that delivers layers. All kinds of textures and tones come together and fit like puzzle pieces, breeding this crossover of old and new school approaches, some gritty guitar work, and fierce drumming.
One of my favorite aspects of this entire record is the sheer intensity of its energy. It makes you want to go see the band perform this release live, in your face. If they can capture this kind of energy on record, then seeing them live must be awesome.
There's also all kinds of vast undertones that are flowing through the release. It's got depth to it, and that sits firmly in its underbelly, while a lot of that edginess and hard-hitting approaches are on the forefront.
I think that's why it feels cinematic to me. It's that depth and those layers that help create that effect.
The old and new school approaches are really evident to me because I grew up listening to heavy rock and industrial music in the 90s and early 2000s. You can hear all kinds of different influences coming into play throughout the record's unfolding.
The EP is dubbed Pretty Things Don't Last, and it doesn't waste a lot of time with the first track "Serve Me Some Crime", which gives you crunchy, palm muted riffs, and layers of vocals that are sort of brooding and throughout that, you have since that lurk in the background of the track, and all kinds of guitar hooks, which is something I absolutely adore.
We don't get enough heavy rock music with guitar hooks. I'm certainly glad these guys are doing it perfectly. It's not over the top, but it just adds this little flavor to the track that makes it even catchier.
This is another thing; it's catchy.
Although the record is alternatively driven, heavy, a little dirty, and hard-hitting, it also holds on to certain aspects of pop-sensibility.
These guys know how to write a song that brings together the edgy and the catchy pretty seamlessly.
This is also a song that showcases how the band can build up to these sort of intense moments. When it gets to those choruses, it's full throttle, and there's a lot to chew on.
This is a great song to introduce the record with, mainly because you're getting some of the staples the rest of the release will boast, but, having said that, this is a record you want to listen to all the way through, in one shot.
"How She's Got It" brings in more of an electronic industrial approach, still breeding a lot of the filmic backbone, but a bit more experimentally.
There are loads of parts where the vocals and the guitars both have this sort of echo effect on them, and this lets the song drip.
The guitars consistently do these cool bending riffs throughout the songs and I feel like it's a signature move for the band. It's part of their sound, and it works extremely well because it gives the same kind of attitude that the vocals do.
"Toxic Twins" is probably the most pop-driven song on the record, maybe the most catchy as well. It's got an amazing chorus; it isn't afraid to burst into explosive and heavy sections, but it's very melodically driving.
A lot of these songs, including this one, also display a lot of brutal honesty at times. There are semi-metaphoric lines, but there are also straightforward ones. They can be very descriptive, and you can tell that they're coming from an authentic place.
The way the singer blends the metaphoric with the straightforward lyrically, in one song, is really outstanding.
This was a danceable track. It really hit all of those pop and Industrial elements amazingly well, and was almost like a sing-along. This was kind of a fists-in-the-air sing-along single, to me.
"Cold Habit" displays some pretty heavy-handed synth work that is used for both filling a deep bottom end and bringing unique melody and excitement to the song.
I love that they bring in a lot of synths and keys throughout this record because they blend in with the mood of the track and those guitars really well a lot of the time.
These are indeed moody songs.
But they are meant to be. These are tracks that have an aggressive nature but run the gamut of emotion as they play through. It's pretty cool how these songs can bring all these different elements together. The emotional backing, the cinematic underbellies, the driving tones and textures, and the lyrics that tell stories.
This is an EP with surprises around its corners, and certainly, once again, should not be skipped around. Listening to the record from start to finish in one sitting is absolutely, hands down, the best way to go.
Upon listening to the record, I realized I wanted to have a sit-down with the band so I could find out where this all came from and what might be coming up next for them.
So, while you listen to this record, check out our interview with NoirAddiction below.
Remember where you heard it first.
Where did this EP come from and what is it about?
Pretty Things Don't Last came from a period where I found myself thinking a lot about change…how people evolve, how relationships shift, and how even the things we believe will last forever eventually fade. The title reflects that idea. It's not meant to be pessimistic… It’s more about accepting that impermanence is part of life. Each song explores that feeling from a different perspective but together they capture a specific moment in my life.
I am hearing several approaches here! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
I've always listened to a wide range of music, and I think that naturally finds its way into what I write. Alternative rock is definitely at the core but I've also been deeply influenced by artists like Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and David Bowie. What I admire about them isn't just their sound, but their ability to constantly evolve without losing their identity. I also love heavier music and darker, atmospheric bands, so all of those elements end up blending together naturally. More than trying to sound like any one artist, I'm inspired by musicians who aren't afraid to take risks and create something honest.
How did this all start for you as a band?
Noir Addiction started because I wanted to create something that didn't feel limited by expectations. I wanted to write songs that could be melodic without losing intensity, and emotional without feeling forced. Finding people who shared that vision made everything come together naturally.
Did you work with an outside producer on this one, or was it all you guys?
I produced the EP myself. It wasn't about trying to do everything on my own… it just felt like the best way to preserve the ideas from the moment they were written all the way to the finished record. Being involved in every step of the process helped keep the vision consistent, while everyone in the band brought their own perspective and ideas to the songs. In the end, it was a real collaborative effort, but having the production in-house gave us the freedom to take our time and make the record we wanted to make.
Did you record at a bigger studio, or a home DAW setup?
Most of the writing, pre-production and recording happened in my own studio, where there was no pressure or time limit. That gave me the freedom to experiment, rewrite parts, and really let the songs evolve naturally. When it came to the drums, though, we tracked them in a professional studio because that environment made a real difference in capturing the sound and energy we were after. I think that balance between working independently and knowing when to use a proper studio worked really well for this record.
Are you performing live right now?
We're preparing for more live shows. Now that the EP is finally out, we're really excited to bring these new songs to the stage and see how people connect with them in a live setting. We've got a handful of shows lined up through the rest of 2026 and at the same time we're already planning for a bigger run in 2027.
Now that this is out, what's next for you guys?
We already writing new material. I don't like staying in the same creative place for too long, so as soon as one project is finished, my mind is usually moving toward the next one. There are a lot of ideas taking shape, and I'm looking forward to seeing where they lead Noir Addiction.
What would you say people can expect from this release?
We hope people hear something that's genuine. We weren't trying to follow a trend or fit into a particular category… we just wanted to make a record that feels honest, with moments that hit hard both emotionally and musically. At the end of the day, if listeners find their own meaning in these songs and connect with them in a personal way, then we've accomplished what we set out to do.
Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music?
I'd just like to say thank you. Every stream, every message, every person who comes to a show or shares our music makes a bigger difference than most people realize. I never take that support for granted. I hope Pretty Things Don't Last is a record people can come back to over time and find something new in with every listen. Thanks for being part of the journey and Thank you for the interview.
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