THE FRONT ROW

Vienna’s debut EP Sleep Fighter II is the kind of first major statement that bursts out the door with more energy than it knows what to do with. The Midlands four-piece have been cutting their teeth across the UK’s emo underbelly since 2023, and this release captures that chaotic hunger and post-adolescent spark in raw, unfiltered fashion. But as is often the case with young bands sprinting towards their sonic identity, there’s some growing up still to do, and that’s not a bad thing.

Opening track BMO Drive arrives like a punchline and a gut-punch at the same time. It wastes no time introducing Vienna’s core components: dense riffage, a rhythm section that’s permanently caffeinated, and vocals that switch between anguished sincerity and cheeky irony. It’s dynamic, noisy, and occasionally hard to follow, but that feels intentional. The lyrics are emotionally open without being overwrought, and the track’s structure leans into deliberate unpredictability. For better or worse, Vienna aren’t interested in playing it safe.

From there, the EP leans on some of the band’s earlier releases. Ratatouille | I Hardly Know Her is a highlight, offering a self-aware slice of mathy emo that lives somewhere between the sadcore confessionals of Modern Baseball and the high-speed absurdism of Prince Daddy & The Hyena. There’s a loose, jammy quality to it that’s charming, even when the ideas get a little too tangled for their own good. A mid-song tempo switch and instrumental breakdown feels a touch indulgent, like it’s trying to squeeze four tracks into one, but you can hear the ambition behind it.

Stare Into the Sky is a moment of welcome clarity. It reins in some of the EP’s more chaotic tendencies and gives space to the band’s earnest lyricism. The vocals are genuinely honest here, leaning into that classic Midwest emo vulnerability. It’s also where the band’s chemistry really clicks: the transitions feel tighter, the layering more intentional, and the emotional resonance more consistent. If Sleep Fighter II has a standout track for casual listeners or first-time fans, this might be it.

Then there’s the closer, Somewhere Between Here and Gone, which encapsulates everything Vienna are aiming for, emotionally dense, structurally bold, and peppered with melodic ideas that aim sky high. The song builds slowly before unravelling into a storm of cathartic vocals and muscular riffs. It’s a track that genuinely feels like the end of a chapter, which is exactly what the band says this EP represents.

That’s the key thing with Sleep Fighter II: it’s a scrapbook as much as a record. It celebrates Vienna’s early stages, naïve, DIY, and brimming with ideas, some of which work wonders, and others that fumble under their own weight. There are moments that dance dangerously close to self-sabotage, unexpected interludes, abrupt tonal changes, or musical flourishes that feel like they belong in a different song altogether. But there’s an underlying spirit that carries it all through: this band loves what they’re doing, and they want you to feel it too.

For all the technical inconsistencies and occasional overcomplications, Vienna are clearly onto something. Their sound, part UK grit, part American emo homage, isn’t fully cooked yet, but there’s no denying the flavour. The humour in their song titles and the genuine emotional resonance in their lyrics show a band unafraid to be themselves, even if that self is still under construction.

In a scene often dominated by either over-serious sadboys or irony-poisoned detachment, Vienna manage to carve out space by doing both, and neither. They’re serious without being sanctimonious, goofy without being gimmicky. If this EP is them finding their footing, then we’re in for something exciting when they eventually sprint.

Sleep Fighter II is a messy, lovable, overexcited debut, and that’s exactly what it should be. Not every idea lands, but Vienna’s raw honesty, infectious energy, and emotional backbone more than make up for it. A promising start from a band still figuring themselves out, and one we’ll be keeping a close eye on in 2025.

🎧 Add to your playlist: “Stare Into the Sky”, “Somewhere Between Here and Gone”
🎤 Catch them live if you like: sweaty singalongs, mathy riffs, and heartfelt chaos