Friend | This Machine Makes Friends

Description

Following the chaotic velocity of Antihero and their breakout sophomore LP Mr. Nice Guy, Philadelphia’s premier goblin punk trio Friend returns to the Phameless Records roster with their most ambitious, mature, and massive-sounding effort to date: This Machine Makes Friends.

Where previous releases leaned heavily into raw, frantic DIY speed, Never afraid to push the envelope, This Machine Makes Friends signals a monumental leap forward in both songwriting and scale. The band trades strictly unhinged tempo for expansive arrangements, wall-of-sound guitar production, and thunderous, room-shaking rhythm sections. It’s an album that feels huge—a towering wall of noise that maintains their signature bite while unleashing a newfound depth, melody, and stadium-sized presence.

Lyrically and structurally, the record reflects a trio growing into peak creative maturity without sacrificing an ounce of their irreverent edge. Intricate guitar leads cut through dense, layered distortion, while anthemic choruses transform their trademark goblin punk energy into undeniable, sing-along war cries. It is the definitive sound of a band that has refined their craft, harnessed their wild live energy, and built a masterpiece destined to stand as a flagship release for the Tristate underground scene.

Track Listing

1. This Machine Makes Friends (3:28)
2. Alchemy (2:47)
3. Getting Even (2:57)
4. Glass Half Empty Man
5. Sweet Tooth
6. Superbowl (It’s Like That!)
7. Woe Is Me
8. The Creature
9. I Like 2 Steal
10. Right Down the Middle
11. Company
12. A Western
13. Coming of Age, Again (3:30)