WEDNESDAY 2ND JULY 2025

Review: A fierce and fearless self titled album from Ōtautahi’s rising rock powerhouse Volts

Ōtautahi’s Volts step boldly on stage with their long-awaited self-titled LP—an album that crackles with intensity, heart, and a clarity of purpose. Pressed to vinyl as part of Holiday Records' Drops series, this debut feels like a milestone—it’s a loud, emotionally charged arrival.

At its core, Volts is an album built on momentum. From the first track, the band throw themselves headfirst into a wall of alternative rock energy, anchored by thunderous drums, driving guitars, and the commanding presence of vocalist Lorna Coll, whose voice carries both grit and vulnerability in equal measure. This isn’t rock that hides behind distortion or bombast—Volts make their intentions clear from the outset: to connect.

One of the standout tracks, “Make Up Your Mind,” is a perfect example of the band’s punchy balance between catchiness and emotional weight. It’s a radio-ready track that doesn’t feel over-polished, riding on a soaring chorus and a pulsing undercurrent of urgency. It’s a song built for blasting out of car windows, festival speakers, and late-night headphones alike.

“System Failure” is another highlight—more jagged and aggressive in tone, it taps into the band’s frustration with the modern world, pairing distortion-drenched riffs with a taut vocal performance that’s as angry as it is anthemic. There’s a controlled chaos here that feels cathartic without becoming disjointed.

Elsewhere, tracks like “This All Ends Tonight” and “Wolves” show off the band’s ability to rein in the energy and explore more layered emotional territory. These songs avoid the temptation to rush toward big finishes, instead leaning into tension and atmosphere. The results are compelling—proof that Volts know when to push and when to pull back.

That said, the album isn’t without its rougher edges. Some tracks in the middle of the record tread similar sonic ground, occasionally blurring into each other. But these moments never derail the momentum—they simply remind the listener that this is a band still stretching its wings, unafraid to make noise while finding its full range.

The production across the album is muscular without being slick, capturing the raw power of the band’s live sound while allowing enough space for nuance. It’s a smart balance—one that serves their “emotive powerhouse rock” label well.