Nothing could have prepared us for the Lillingtons’ new direction.
Their prior albums were classic-yet-standard Ramones-core fare: fast, repetitive songs that get people moving; goofy lyrics about love and conspiracy theories; three chords and keep the change. Frontman Kody Templeman imported his formula to the band he shares with Ray Rocket, Miguel Chen and Darren Chewka, Teenage Bottlerocket, to pretty great success; many fans of both projects basically assumed that the Lillingtons was dead. When they released an EP, “Project 313,” earlier this year, we figured that was one last hurrah.
I repeat: nothing could have prepared us for the Lillingtons’ new direction.
They’re still pop-punk, more or less. But with “Stella Sapiente” the Lillingtons have outpaced and outclassed every other pop-punk band out there and made something that even puts most horror punk bands to shame: an album dripping with so much gothic, occult splendor that I’m worried a full uninterrupted playthrough will summon Cthulhu. But not, like, that cartoon version of Cthulhu. A real, unimaginable, insanity-inspiring horror from beyond the stars, right here in my living room.
Songs like “the Walker” and “Cult of Dogon” directly evoke Lovecraftian imagery; others, like “Golden Dawn/Knights Templar” and “Pursuit of Pleasure,” are telling a story about the Crowleyite secret society Ordo Templi Orientis. “They Live” is probably the only “classic” Lillingtons track — fast, paranoid and agile.
Sonically, this album isn’t afraid to drape goth and metal influences over its pop-punk skeleton. Hints of Amebix, Iron Maiden and the Cure peek out from around corners, peppering the soundscape with tinges of shadow. The final track, “Drawing Down the Stars,” leans heavily into these influences and provides a strikingly dark end to an already-melancholy album.
Nothing could have prepared us for the Lillingtons’ new album, but I found myself ready and waiting. Go get this.