Manchester’s rising stars Hot Milk erupt on their second album, Corporation P.O.P., a fierce and fearless sonic assault that refuses to play by the rules. Blending punk urgency, metal grit, and electronic experimentation, the duo of Hannah Mee and Jim Shaw channel raw energy into an album that feels both personal and political.
Released via Music For Nations, the album positions Hot Milk as one of the UK’s most vital rock acts. Across its runtime, the band challenges societal norms and pushes musical boundaries with conviction. Throughout the record, the band weave throat-shredding screams, synth-laced textures, and biting lyricism into a sound that’s entirely their own. From searing critiques of nationalism and consumer culture to vulnerable introspection, it’s a battle cry for a generation navigating global chaos and personal identity.
Corporation P.O.P. marks a significant evolution in their sound and scope. As a fan of their early work, I am not completely sold on the change of direction. However, music is about evolution, and it is definitely a sound that is growing on me. The record defies easy categorisation, shifting between bold anthems and moody atmospheres with confidence and purpose.
The opening track, (How Do I) Make The Devil Fall Asleep, evokes classic rock influences before swiftly pivoting into the band’s trademark dual-vocal chaos, signalling their growth from more pop-punk leaning roots to a more expansive rock identity. Meanwhile, “Insubordinate Ingerland” takes a satirical jab at patriotism, challenging blind nationalism in post-Brexit Britain. It’s tongue-in-cheek yet incisive, a punk-metal hybrid that’s as politically sharp as it is irresistibly catchy. The track pokes fun at English identity while rallying listeners into a full-throated sing-along.
That said, the band occasionally flirts with being a bit too on-the-nose. There’s a risk of tipping into preachiness, which is a common pitfall for modern punk bands emulating that raw, ‘70s-style punk delivery. But just as I catch myself thinking this, Han Mee cuts through with a wink: “This is social commentary, calm down… but it’s kind of true.” It’s a meta-moment that shows the band are self-aware enough to disarm criticism before it lands and clever enough to laugh along with you.
The American Machine then continues the critique and social commentary. Han Mee delivers a haunting warning about American militarism and cultural disillusionment. This track holds a mirror to systemic inequality and political corruption on both sides of the Atlantic, pairing hard-hitting lyrics with anthemic momentum.
Perhaps the album’s most urgent moment arrives with 90 Seconds To Midnight, a frenetic and explosive track. Here we see the band channel global anxiety about nuclear threats and environmental collapse. It’s a song that encapsulates the band’s mission — to soundtrack a world teetering on the edge. The accompanying music video, featuring comedian Frank Skinner, adds a surreal yet engaging dimension to the track’s apocalyptic energy.
Hot Milk then tackles the opioid crisis head-on with Warehouse Salvation. The song paints a vivid, harrowing picture of addiction’s grip on working-class communities. They don’t stop there taking a hit at religious institutions on Sunburn From Your Bible. The band call out hypocrisy and exposes how faith can be wielded as a weapon.
Closing the album is Sympathy Symphony, a standout finale that blends guttural screams with orchestral-level intensity. Starting soft before developing into one of the heaviest tracks on the record, reflecting the inner chaos of personal struggle. This juxtaposition of brutality and introspection encapsulates what makes Corporation P.O.P so compelling: it’s loud, but it’s also deeply personal.
As previously mentioned, the album occasionally veers into preachiness, at times feeling like a checklist of issues but Corporation P.O.P. never loses its impact. Whether delivering biting social commentary or channelling personal demons, Hot Milk maintain a fierce intensity throughout. This is an album built for both live stages and late-night existential spirals: furious, honest, and unapologetically genre-blurring.
Han Mee and Jim Shaw’s contrasting vocal styles remain one of the band’s greatest strengths. Together they create a dynamic interplay that swings effortlessly from delicate harmonies to throat-tearing screams. The production is crisp and expansive, allowing every element to breathe. Robotic effects, rave-inspired synths, and crushing metal breakdowns are woven together into a sound that feels simultaneously futuristic and emotionally raw. It’s a tightrope walk between chaos and clarity that Hot Milk navigate with remarkable finesse.
Corporation P.O.P was released on June 27 via Music For Nations. For more information please visit the band’s official website.
