A Better Life is both a stunning evolution from their 2016 debut, Tell Me If You Like To, and a primal, joyous, generational demand for no less than a better world. For the first time in their six-year existence, the Manchester four-piece have fully collaborated, a band no longer looking to the talismanic Tarek Musa (vocals/drums) for the central sound. The result is an astounding volcanic flare of musical energy, born of an equally collective confidence from Tarek and his bandmates Pete Darlington (guitar), Andy Morton (guitar) and James Green (bass).

A thundering procession of party-hard anthems from the newly invigorated, sonic northern powerhouse, A Better Life is produced once again by Tarek, who won the Self-Producing Artist of the Year at the Music Producer’s Guild Awards 2017 for his work on Spring King’s debut. Musically, however, A Better Life is a triumphant progression of their previous material and the sound of the band truly understanding their own power.

Spring King have now shared the muscular, scuzzed-up, coming-of-age anthem ‘Us Vs Them’, where reflective lyrics meet skyscraper-sized riffs. Of the track, guitarist Pete says: “I never thought much about the old haunts and memories until now. Reliving moments gone, and seeing how much life has changed. Now I really see the way in which time has passed, and where I stand today is the consequence of everything I once did. I can feel my whole world changing, softly in the morning sun.”

A Better Life is lyrically vivid, reflecting the bands’ concerns, ambitions and the hopes they have for their generation. The album artwork shows a communal family, all ages and backgrounds, in their vision of utopia, in a nod to the early 20th Century Woodcraft movement – who the band discovered while exploring idea of ‘A Better Life’. They were pioneers of a burgeoning modernity who called for universal suffrage, worker’s rights, sexual and racial equality. “It’s about unifying,” says Tarek. “Our generation is gonna be in charge one day. And I hope people’s morals outweigh any financial attractions in life. Outweigh working for a corporate giant that’s doing harm to the world.”