Blood Like Honey – “Haunt Me / Love Me” [EP] [Album Review]

It’s pretty rare that I fall head-over-heels in love with an album on first listen–especially when it’s the self-recorded-and-produced debut from a band I’ve never even heard of—yet, here we are! Blood Like Honey, a sad punk trio hailing from Norwich, England, has stolen the attention of both my ears AND heart this week with their first release, Haunt Me / Love Me.

From start to finish, this EP is an emo masterpiece, maintaining a sound reminiscent of bands like Dinosaur Pile Up or even Jimmy Eat World circa 2004/Clarity. Haunt Me / Love Me kicks off with “100ml,” a radio-ready, anthemic jam that is guaranteed to get your blood pumping and head nodding. “Foil” follows suit, keeping the pace, leading into a slower “June.” The songs flow cleanly into one another, but with marked distinction that something is changing—evolving, even—with each step. By the time I had reached “Tim Roth,” I was hooked. Dripping with feeling, vocalist Joshua Batch relentlessly delivers line after line of raw emotion, paving the way for the album closer, “Melatonin.”

The EP’s namesake is found embedded in the lyrics of “Melatonin,” where Batch literally begs, “…haunt me, haunt me; love me, love me…” Between the soaring, emotive guitar and the desperate ache of Batch’s vocals, I found myself overwhelmed by the visceral feeling of second-hand phantom pain (I’m not exaggerating–I looked down mid-song and my arm was COVERED in goosebumps). “Melatonin” serves as the undeniable crescendo of Haunt Me / Love Me, as well as the symphonic outro, bringing this phenomenal album to both climax and closure.

So, here’s the deal: stop whatever you’re doing, put on Blood Like Honey’s Haunt Me / Love Me, and turn up the volume. This EP is definitely my favorite release of 2017 to-date and I can’t wait to see what’s next for these talented dudes.

Haunt Me / Love Me [EP] Track Listing:

01. 100ml
02. Foil
03. June
04. Tim Roth
05. Melatonin

Run Time: 19:26
Release Date: March 3, 2017

Check out the full EP Haunt Me / Love Me