At the time of 's release, were in their early twenties but had weathered more music industry issues than acts many years older. Their Spanish former label, , prevented them from touring or promoting their second album, 2016's , to the fullest -- didn't play any North American shows until 2017, when they settled their issues with . As frustrating as their season in label hell was, proves that they turned an obstacle into inspiration. have always thrown everything they had into their songs and railed against hypocrisy, prejudice, and complacency, but they've never sounded so focused -- or furious. 's piercing voice was made to question authority; when she sings "Who are you to say what I am?" on "Strange Ones," she sounds like she speaks for outsiders everywhere. Coupled with the band's jagged attack, channels the rawness of a diary, and boasts some of the most incisive rants against the music industry since or 's "The Agony of Laffitte." "Fun at the Geysers" is deceptively scathing; while its harmonies are joyous, its tale of how the bandmembers were left in a van in Reykjavik while their chaperone spent the day sightseeing is anything but. On "Doing it Right," transform e-mails from their former label into paranoid outbursts ("Don't be scared/These numbers are normal") that could apply to the state of the world in the late 2010s as well as their own situation. And while 's ferocity is well-deserved, the album also builds on 's sophistication. On "Thank You for Coming Over" and the "Candle Man," the group explores dreamy new territory, and "Epilogue"'s radiant harmonies sound like the light at the end of the tunnel. is a portrait of a band that's grown stronger musically and personally in the face of hardship, and the wisdom and freedom display on these songs is the best revenge they could get. ~ Heather Phares