HotWax are a band set on experiencing life at its most intense. In the past two years, the Hastings-via-Brighton trio – comprising Tallulah Sim-Savage (vocals/guitar), Lola Sam (bass) and Alfie Sayers (drums) – have embraced the possibilities of the great wide open, building a formidable reputation across a gig schedule that has rumbled on non-stop. Hellbent on touring the world over, they’ve clocked up over 150 dates, including shows with Royal Blood and Frank Carter, and major festival appearances at Reading & Leeds and All Points East. Out of all this comes debut album Hot Shock (due March 7 via Marathon Artists), a record of adrenaline-jolted anthems about abandoning fear and leaping boldly towards the future.
Described by Sam as “an explosion of color,” it’s a body of work that immediately gets under the skin. Drawing inspiration from the lyrical intensity of Fontaines D.C., as well as seminal US guitar bands like Autolux and Sonic Youth, Hot Shock maintains rich arrangements to create a deep odyssey into a bold and groove-based sound. In a “complete experiment”, as Sayers puts it, the band recorded songs live in front of a crowd at London’s RAK Studios – perfectly capturing the distinct, dizzying energy of a HotWax show.
For Hot Shock, they worked with an all-female production team, made up of Catherine Marks (Boygenius, Wolf Alice) and Steph Marziano (Hayley Williams, Let’s Eat Grandma), as well as additional recording with Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint in Joshua Tree, California. “Collaborating with HotWax and Catherine was an absolute joy. What a dream team,” says Marziano. “With Lola’s punchy bass lines, Tallulah’s captivating melodies, and Alfie’s precise drumming, they truly form a one-of-a-kind band”
She continues: “The entire album process was full of excitement, a sense of childlike wonder, and a spirit of exploration. I can’t wait for everyone to feel that same magic when they hear the record.”
Marks concurs: “I loved every moment working with Steph and the band. We laughed hard as we discovered each other’s personalities and found quirky ways of representing those personalities sonically. All those little moments have culminated in an album we are so proud of. Their unique character, rawness and joy are what make this band so special.”
Sim-Savage recalls how Marks was “instantly” drawn to working with HotWax following an intimate gig at the capital’s Blue Basement in July 2023. “It was the sweatiest gig we have ever done – it was really, really packed,” she says. “Afterwards, Catherine came up to us and said, ‘Oh my god, I need to record your album with you. I want it to sound like the energy in this room. It needs to feel like a party.’”
These songs were made to be played to a crowd, loud and with abandon. But there’s also a beating pulse of vulnerability underscoring the album. Wanna Be A Doll, the first track that was penned for Hot Shock, is a candid portrayal of self-destructive tendencies – and soon became the key that opened up a whole new well of emotion for the band. “Touring and constantly living in the moment can be chaotic. But there’s also a feeling of knowing that the more life experience we gain, the more fearless we become,” explains Sam.
True to this mantra, the album continues to tackle a broad range of challenging topics – selfhood, anxiety, intrusive thoughts – while also allowing for each band member’s personality to thrive. Sim-Savage’s muscular vocal melodrama defines the brooding Pharmacy; Dress Our Love, a romanticisation of an unhealthy relationship, has a moshpit-worthy chorus.
Although Hot Shock may traverse the unsettling terrain that comes with entering young adulthood, there’s also a sense of playful abandon that is never far behind. Childhood friends Sim-Savage and Sam have been writing together since they were 12, before the latter met Sayers at music college five years later. Listening to the record, it’s easy to sense the dedication the group feels towards nurturing and sustaining their creative partnership.
Emotional centerpiece “One More Reason” speaks to this notion. “The song is about really intense feelings, where you love something so much that it almost makes you feel sick,” Sim-Savage says. “We know how each other’s brains work so well. We couldn’t do any of this without each other.” It’s an honest, moving sentiment sure to propel HotWax towards becoming the UK’s next big crossover rock act – and beyond.
Publicity Contacts
Website
Press Kit
Photos
