The headbang-inducing Mapped Out and euphoria of Brighter Days (Are Before Us) continue this fine work. On this evidence, it’d be enough for Meet Me @ The Altar to exist simply as a new-wave easycore band, breathing new life into a sound that’s been forgotten to the Warped Tour’s glory years, but there’s more going on here. Meet Me @ The Altar represent the changing face of pop-punk, as they join artists like KennyHoopla, Pinkshift, Stand Atlantic, POORSTACY and Hot Milk in proving how 2021’s pop-punk pack is no longer dictated by the same old broken-hearted straight white men.
They continue to excel as they fly through the more traditional pop-punk sounds of Now Or Never – another song where the riffs hit hard, the choruses soar and the honey-sweet vocals work in tandem with the track’s more aggressive elements. By the time this EP draws to a close, it’s fair to say that its creators haven’t really strayed too far from their core sound – something they’ll want to build on with future releases – but when the songs just work and everything sounds so fun, it feels rather greedy to ask for more. Besides, while a track like Never Gonna Change may not break the mould, it’s the kind of uplifting and triumphant pop-punk anthem that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Slam Dunk headline set at some point down the line.
Such greater things undoubtedly beckon, but for now, Meet Me @ The Altar can rest easy in the knowledge that their early success is signalling change in a scene where – as they told Kerrang! in our recent cover story – they previously didn’t feel like they belonged. Songs, shows and all else aside, that’s got to feel like a pretty big win.
Verdict: 4/5
For Fans Of: Four Year Strong, Stand Atlantic, State Champs
Model Citizen is released on August 13 via Fueled By Ramen.
READ THIS: Meet Me @ The Altar are changing the face of pop-punk for the better