This is the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. If you’ve never heard of The Home Team, you’ll might look at the cover for their new album, ‘The Crucible Of Life’, and think “huh, must be some metal album” *obnoxious buzzer noise* nope, not exactly. Though originating from pop-punk and metal backgrounds, they class themselves as “heavy pop”. To stay true to their tastes while crafting their heavy pop sound, they have incorporated elements of R&B, pop, and funk into their music over the years.

 For Daniel Matson (drums), Brian Butcher (vocals), John Baran (guitar), and Ryne Olson (bass), 2023 brought on the most gruelling tour schedule yet. This didn’t stop them from writing though, and thus this album captures in real time the experience of living out your dream—only to find it’s not as enjoyable or liberating as you had imagined. The songs are filled with self-doubt, anxiety, and frustration, but also admiration, gratitude, and joy. It's a concoction equal part love and equal part hate, giving a real and honest look at life in the fast lane.

No messing around and The Home Team show you exactly what they’re about with ‘Turn You Off’. Opening with a groove and straight into vocals showing off Butcher’s range. There’s a lush segue from the chorus into a hard bass drumbeat, a drumbeat which left me thinking they were going into Ram Jam’s ‘Black Betty’. 

A distant sounding guitar riff sees us into ‘Brag’, with a satisfying reverse snare bomb bringing the guitar into the forefront. This guitar riff sets the groove, and the added brass instruments really makes the song feel massive. The brass instruments are used again in ‘Love & Co’, which features an electrified guitar solo. The kind of solo which made me imagine it was done in front of a massive fan, with just a spotlight and fog, maybe something that Slash would do.

In ‘Roommates’, the energy doesn’t feel as high as it has previously been, especially in the bridge. The groove is still high though, with a pull-pull-stop feel (hope that makes sense). Some guitar parts have a nice little twiddly tune. Drawing out the song is spoken word, fading out into silence. At the start of ‘Overtime’, we’re given a guitar riff that sounds like it’s got a little reverb to it. This adds depth and fullness of the sound, creating a larger-than-life sensation. This riff is featured throughout. Something I was extremely drawn to was the drums, especially in the toms in the bridge. The deep and resonant sound adds a dramatic flair, with the richness adding a different style of energy and excitement.

The start of ‘Honest’ sounds like a little chunk of a house remix, sort of sounds like bongos. This is present in the background of most of the song. What I did enjoy about this one was the guitar staggering in scale during the pre-chorus, it added to the anticipation and excitement. ‘Somebody Else’s Face’ takes a more melodic tone, not as high energy or punky as the others. My favourite part of this song (and probably the whole album) was the chugs. Just like segues, I’m a slag for the chugs, and this song is full of them. Featuring Broadside, Ollie Baxxter’s vocals are a harmonious contrast against Butcher’s. In Baxxter’s solo section, he’s sort of spitballing.

I know it’s July but here’s a song to remind you of the colder months! ‘Walk This World With Me’ sounds like it’s straight off a Hallmark movie soundtrack. Ignoring that the lyrics literally says, “snow and sleet”, the whole feel of the song gives off winter/Christmas vibes. With soft piano twinkles, and orchestral sounding rises, you’re instantly transported to a snowy street covered in Christmas lights.

A very short and sweet number, ‘All Squeezed Out’ features audio clippings of Sugar Kane, Marilyn Monroe’s character in the 1959 film, ‘Some Like It Hot’. Interestingly, this is the only song from the album that uses a ¾ time signature, creating a waltz like feel. Moving onto ‘Hell’, I honestly couldn’t get into it. It felt too Panic at the Disco for me, and I’m not a P@TD girly. It could be argued that Butcher and Brendon Urie (Panic’s vocalist), share some tonal qualities, favouring higher pitches. But this, both sounding and composition wise, just sounded too similar for my personal liking.

In ‘Love When You’re Used’, the vocals and instruments felt somewhat discombobulated in parts during the pre-chorus but came together nicely in the chorus, creating a more cohesive and harmonious sound. It is a quite sharp and punchy song. Going out with a bang is ‘Loud’. Once again, we start with a nice groovy guitar riff. "Beyond the obviously sexual subject matter of the song, ‘Loud’ is about finding your confidence in giving 110% to things that may be outside of your immediate comfort zone," says Butcher. And yeah, this song is the perfect motivational song to boost your confidence. Think of The Home Team as your cheerleaders.

The album boasts the sound that The Home Team has grown to create, and then some. Even prior to this being released, they had a massive following around the globe. Dipping their toes into different music styles caters for a much wider audience, so there’s something in there for everyone to enjoy. You know how diamonds are formed under intense heat and pressure? Maybe the pressure of their 2023 touring schedule produced their diamond.