Alternative Rock from The Party After

Coming out of Omaha, Nebraska, The Party After are a modern rock band that draws on fifteen years of friendship and creative determination. The trio of Jared “Badsquatch” Gottberg, Tony “Bony Tates” Bates and Derek “Fooligan” Talburt have forged a sound they call dystopian party rock, an apt label for a band whose music is wired with the current of three lives spent chasing meaning through sound. Each member brings a wildly different set of influences from frontman Jared’s spectrum stretching from Pink Floyd’s to Deftones, Tony balancing groove and grandeur with a love for 311 and Ghost, while Derek draws from the intensity of Bullet for My Valentine as well as the rhythm of hip hop.

Together, their musical chemistry feels combustible and what could have clashed instead became the spark that defines them, a sonic output that’s thrilling and impactful, distilling equal parts aggression and reflection. Since first arriving in 2019 with their debut single “Philophobic,” The Party After have slowly built momentum, but over the years, they’ve endured more than their share of obstacles from theft on the road to legal disputes and failed management deals.

Lesser bands might have folded under the crushing feeling of disappointment, but this trio turned those scars into fuel and that’s exactly why their long-awaited debut album, Dopamine Machine, landed in July as such an emphatic statement of artistic intent. Opening the record, their single “Blast Off” is at once a warning and a prophecy, serving up a blistering look at the price of chasing fame and the illusions that come with it.

Piercing its driving riffs and explosive energy lies a context that feels painfully relevant, that the pursuit of glory often demands more than anyone expects to give. The making of the single, as well as the rest of the LP, was as much a test of will as it was a creative adventure; seeking to break free from routine, the band left behind the comforts of the Midwest and recorded in Mexico City at Topetitud Estudios, co-owned by Tito Fuentes of the iconic Molotov outfit. The change of environment became something of creative pilgrimage involving five intense days of recording that pushed them to their sonic limits.

Kicked off by the gritty groove of a lively guitar riff as the hazy countdown vocal sample hints at the incoming erupting, the arrangement launches with bombastic guitar layers and pounding drums to form an instantly engrossing rock scene. As the punch of instrumentation rises and falls, Jared’s belted vocals ring out with impassioned intensity as he spins infectious melodic lines above the raucous rock backing to deliver an anthemic sound that’s both exhilarating and thematically profound.

Rolling with relentless forward momentum and capped by spectacular vocal performance, the track progresses through moments of melodic-focused aesthetic and passages of pure alternative rock vigour, reaching an epic breakdown where the hurried patter of drums and jittery flicker of running guitar licks collide before a rousing final chorus. It’s a sensational display of the band’s engaging songwriting, original sound and musicianship flair, offering the perfect curtain raiser to their debut full-length record.

Listen to Blast Off below

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