Nocturnal Habits

At times dizzying and at times whimsically endearing, New Skin For Old Children is the debut album from Nocturnal Habits. Headed up by Unwound’s Justin Trosper, the Pacific Northwest supergroup brought together Dale Crover of Melvins, Sherry Fraser, Scott Seckington of Two Ton Boa, and Trosper’s former Unwound bandmate Sarah Lund. Their first collection of songs is a frenzied collage of emo, grunge, and post-hardcore that will keep you on edge like the latest horror flick playing in theaters near you.

The album covers a lot of sonic territory. “Dog Meets Wolf” is a dissonant track that reaches operatic highs in contrast to “The Staircase” and “New Skin,” which are both concentrated with lurching guitars and a disturbing tone that sends one’s hair reaching for the sky. Then there’s the curveball “Wall Of Early Light,” a refreshing instrumental that cuts the album in the middle with mind-cleansing, lush strings. New Skin For Old Children was recorded all over from Italy to Los Angeles, leading Nocturnal Habits into a fertile no man’s land of sound.

1. Echophilia
2. Good Grief
3. Back to Snowdonia
4. The Staircase
5. Wall of Early Morning Light
6. Sketchbook for the Living
7. New Skin
8. Ice Island
9. Dog Meets Wolf