Canadian trio Violet Night releases their sophomore album, A N T I H E R O E S, a record that will inevitably be adored by pop-punk fans.

Violet Night formed in rural British Columbia as a two-piece band: Connor Pohl on guitar and vocals and T.J. Rounthwaite on the keyboard. Having time on their hands and a fair amount of distance between them and any city they could play in, they spent a lot of time finding their sound and perfecting it. Eventually, Violet Night moved to Toronto, where they found their drummer, Tay Ewart.

The opening track, ‘stay golden; we’re all the same in the dark’ questions why we are here, what our purpose is. Gradually picking up the song reminds the listener that their goal is to just be themselves and make the most of the time they have.

The album then moves to ‘evergreen’, a song that seems to hold memories you have not yet made, but you will on a warm summer evening with your friends. The third track, ‘freak me up’ was released in 2019 as Violet Night’s first single. The song evokes oh-so-teenage angst in the listener.

‘(if) you are the ocean (then) I would like to drown’ is all about jumping off the deep end into a relationship when you have not stopped to think your choice through. The song explores the dangers of failing to assess the situation before you decide you are all in.

‘hate me’ gives the listener no choice but to like it. This song easily stands out the most on this record. The chorus will end up stuck in your head, giving you little choice other than to listen to ‘hate me’ on repeat. Besides being extraordinarily catchy, the song is a perfect anthem for rebellion.

The sixth track, ‘superbloom’, is a slow jam all about being down. The song that will make the listener feel heartbroken for a love they have yet to feel. At first, ‘glow’ appears to be a love song, but gradually the listener finds it to be a breakup song that simply sounds as hopeful as a love song. Then there’s the penultimate track, ‘wallflower (none of this means anything)’ which has been dubbed as a “rock anthem” by Violet Night for all the right reasons. The song sounds like it should be played during the opening credits of a 1990’s coming of age film.

Violet Night closes their record with the title track ‘A N T I H E R O E S’. The lyrics tell a story of not wanting to give up, while still feeling hopeless. The song is reminiscent of All Time Low’s older sound.

Violet Night is comparable to Boston Manor and many other pop-punk and alternative rock bands. While the comparison can be made, Violet Night has a strong sound that is very much their own. A N T I H E R O E S leaves the listener wanting to play the album again as soon as the last note of track nine fades out.