If you’ve been tracking the seismic shifts in the Australian rock scene lately, you’ll know that Danger Den are rapidly becoming impossible to ignore. A beloved band who have been dubbed "Darwin’s favourite pop-punk band," this five-piece powerhouse of Jeremy Uyloan, James McGrath, Liam Terrill, Luke Schembri, and Blake Alessandro is back to follow up the success of ‘Daisy’ with their most ambitious offering yet.
Their latest single, ‘Given’, is a punk-infused triumph, offering a textbook lesson in how to honour the foundations of the genre while gleefully tearing up the rulebook. From the first chord, ‘Given’ radiates a high-energy, ‘feel-good’ nostalgia that feels like a spiritual successor to early Blink-182.
Starting with a knowing nod, it delivers what is arguably one of the dirtiest and most enjoyable drops in alt-rock since Editors’ ‘Hallelujah (So Low)’. There’s wilfully chaotic energy that explodes, shifting from an unexpected bossa nova-inspired intro into a heavy, undeniably satisfying punk sound that hits you right between the ears. From there, the song is a tempest of searing guitars, puncturing drums, and breakneck hooks that hold to that classic punk sound.
For all the weight of the song, there is a brightness and dynamic flair to the production, handled by Ashley Daws and Evan Lee at The Loud Noise Estate, which allows the spiked melodics to breathe. The vocals are cloaked in a subtle reverb that adds a layer of grit to the polish, completing a sound that channels classic ‘Dookie’-era Green Day aesthetic.
The accompanying music video, filmed by Andrew Bromley at Karting Madness Braybrook, perfectly captures this frenetic spirit. But beneath it all, the song has some heart and soul that breaks through with lyrics like “Got new perceptions, I got a sense of why, Got new intentions, I got new chances given." There’s a sense of hard-won clarity and optimism underlying the sonic assault.
As the band gears up for a massive launch at Melbourne’s Bad Decisions Bar, ‘Given’ cements their reputation as one of the most exciting names in the modern rock landscape. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s a brilliant reminder of why we fell in love with three chords and a chorus in the first place.
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