From Bandcamp, “The arrival of a new MOGWAI album – their eleventh – is cause for great celebration. The album’s title, “The Bad Fire,” is a working-class Glaswegian term for Hell. It reflects the difficult time that members of the band were going through. The music is a difficult thing to describe, but an easy thing to experience. At punishing volume, it can annihilate your body, leaving you as little more than a head which should by rights fall helplessly to the ground. Yet the music contains an updraft, a sense of beauty encased in the onslaught. This holds you up, suspended and empowered, reminding you that paradise is your birthright. This is especially true of “The Bad Fire.” It may have been created in dark conditions, but all that is transcended by the act of four musicians working together here, now, in the moment.”

The album has ten songs, and “God Gets You Back” is first. The electronic tones that open the song are gentle, and unassuming, but there is some tension that fades with the advent of clean vocals harmonies. From there, it is quite warm and inviting. “What Kind of Mix is This” uses a combination of firm and soft tones that play well together, and the overwhelming feeling that I get is one of hope. It’s like taking a walk on a warm spring day and not having a care in the world. “Fanzine Made of Flesh” lets the melody all hang out for the taking. It’s unabashedly catchy, and reminiscent of some of the great songs of the 1980’s. They vocals are mellow, but uplifting. “Pale Vegan Hip Pain” is quite melancholy, with a slower pace and fewer guitar notes. In a way, it sounds like a county song from the distinct twang of the guitar notes.

“If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others” is a reminder to put things into perspective. The calm, solemn, and matter-of-fact tones reflect the simple message in the title of the song. “18 Volcanoes” has a firm and fuzzy base but the vocals sound dreamy. It’s this juxtaposition that the band is able to do so well. “Hammer Room” shines with melody out of the gate, and it’s a feel good song that features some really strong bass work, and again, that 80’s nostalgia comes busting back into the room. “Lion Rumpus” is the shortest on the album, but is still leaves a lasting impression with its positive tones. “Fact Boy” closes the album, and it’s another song with a strong sense of hope. It’s like a succession of sunny days that I never want to end.

Through a variety of sounds and techniques, I am left with a good feeling after listening to the album. This is not just an album about pain—it is about rising from it, about finding light in the wreckage, about turning struggle into something meaningful. t is a record that acknowledges the weight of suffering but refuses to be consumed by it, proving that sometimes, the most powerful thing music can do is remind us that we are not alone in our struggles—and that there is always a way forward.