Adelaide rockers NO NO NO NO NO have continued a truly prolific year, sharing their latest single “Sharksfin” today.
Premiering on triple j’s short.fast.loud on Wednesday night, “Sharksfin” follows on from the group’s January EP 30mg, and the release of their cover of Good Charlotte’s “Keep Your Hands Off My Girl” in July, which earned the praise of frontman Benji Madden.
Now, NO NO NO NO NO are heading towards the end of the year, giving fans the first taste of what’s coming next with new single “Sharksfin”.
True to their tradition of delivering grinding guitar riffs and pounding rhythms (said formula saw them take home the Heavy Award at the 2020 South Australian Music Awards, and a nomination for the same at this year’s edition), “Sharksfin” circles in the deep, allowing itself to surface as it bears its teeth, pairing gracefulness with sheer ferocity.
Walking the knife-edge between brutal hardcore and mesmerising pop-punk, vocalist Luke Shaw explains that the track is one which – like its title – emerged from the deep recesses of the unknown, with inspiration rearing its head when least expected.
“‘Sharksfin’ was written about something horrible that happened to me,” Shaw explains. “I was thinking about how I felt sitting in my car that night with police lights illuminating the rain on the windshield, noticing how the bit of window that neither of the wipers were able to reach looked like a circling shark.
“It was an odd, childlike thought to be having at that specific moment considering the situation I was in.”
Though its origins lay within a difficult period for the likes of Shaw, “Sharksfin” is an elegant beast with lyrics which eschew the specific, and remain relatable to the listener, allowing them to insert themselves into the situation described within the track.
While it remains to be seen whether “Sharksfin” is the first taste of a new body of work, or just another standalone single, it’s fair to say that NO NO NO NO NO have been on something of a creative streak lately, and their legion of fans are eager to hear what comes next.
NO NO NO NO NO’s “Sharksfin” is out now.
