Collectively, ‘Do It Again’ and its follow-up ‘Very High’ establish an incredibly promising foundation for Militarie Gun’s debut. While we’ve had the opportunity to appreciate the former’s snappy brilliance since February, today is all about the latter.
‘Very High’ is another captivating track featuring frontman Ian Shelton’s raw yet catchy delivery and the powerful guitar work of Nick Cogan and William Acuña, expertly balancing indie and hardcore elements. There is much to admire about this song. “Pretty big on embarrassment,” Shelton growls at the beginning, setting the stage for one of his signature lyrical performances. “I’ve been feeling pretty down / So I get very high,” he sings in the chorus. This perspective resonates with many who are similarly inclined, despite the potential irony behind the lyrics.
An immediately accessible tune, it seems that the band – comprised of scene veterans, including Shelton from Regional Justice Centre and Cogan from the renowned Drug Church – may be the next to bring punk’s message to a wider audience, following in the footsteps of Turnstile. The new release is accompanied by a turn-of-the-millennium teen drama parody from Mason Mercer, tapping into the current fascination with the era.
Regarding the new song, Shelton shares: “‘Very High’ centers around the desire to escape the embarrassment of day-to-day life as much as possible. From the lyrics, to the video to the cover art of the album, it’s about struggling with something no one else sees, ‘I’ve been feeling very down, so I get very high.'”
Militarie Gun is set to make their London debut at The George Tavern on May 9th, an event that sold out shortly after its announcement in March. Fear not, as the band will return to Europe in June and July to perform at various festivals, including Outbreak, Roskilde, and 2000 Trees.
Since their formation in 2020, Militarie Gun has garnered significant respect within the industry. This is evident in their upcoming support gig for punk legend Walter Schreifels’ post-hardcore band, Rival Schools, at London’s Electric Ballroom in July. Be sure not to miss this extraordinary performance.
