Pain To Power - Maruja: Review

Maruja are an English post-punk outfit that I've been paying a lot of attention to recently. They represent the newest addition to an ever-growing string of recent acclaimed European post-punk acts and approach the sound with a raw fury and political edge that's unmatched by any of their contemporaries. Like those contemporaries, the band is also off to a red-hot start to their careers with a trio of EPs already under their belt. The first of which, Knocknarea, blew my mind a few years ago. Now the band is back to blow it all over again with a razor-sharp, righteous, and pummeling debut album. 

The first half of Pain To Power sports two singles I loved, but not before the ripping opener “Bloodsport.” The track hits the ground running with explosive punky instrumentation and undeniably grimy lyrical themes. By the time the sizzling saxophone pops up on the hook, I'm already fully bought in. The other shorter cut on the first half of the record is the single “Saoirse.” It's definitely a cooling-off moment after a thunderous start, and it shows off the band's ability to conjure a compelling instrumental that sways with a far more dejected demeanor. Even though I prefer the band at their loudest, the repetition of “it's our differences that make us beautiful” might represent them at their most meaningful. 

This album definitely has an affinity for lengthy songs, something it first showed off on the staggering single “Look Down On Us.” It remains one of my favorite Maruja songs to date, with an insane instrumental that flies off the handle and lets random parts just go wild at different points throughout the song. Lyrically, it's so righteous and inflaming, pitching an us vs. them mentality that never has to stray into metaphor or exaggeration. It's just a stunning accomplishment of a song. 

I'm not quite as enamored with the other lengthy cut on the record's first half, “Born To Doe.” It begins its 10-minute runtime with the kind of spoken monologue-rock that I typically enjoy. While there are plenty of worthwhile lyrics to be found, the entire section, and really the entire song as a whole, starts to feel like it's stretching on longer than it needs to. But I can't complain too much because the stunning eruption it eventually concludes with is one of the most blood-pumping musical moments of 2025.

The second half of the record erupts with the lead single “Break The Tension.” It remains a massive highlight that rips the record violently back to thunderous directness. Again, I love the insane instrumental diatribes and eerie production, but at the end of the day, it's the refrains that absolutely burst out of the chaos that I can't get enough of. It also features another single I like, “Trenches.” The best part of the track is the enveloping verses that are some of the most gripping the album has to offer. But it also presents a slight issue with the band's range once we get to the hook. The soaring repetition on the song is certainly effective, but compared to tracks like “Bloodsport” and “Tension,” it feels like it doesn't quite reach the same high. 

That leads into the record's just okay finale, which begins with an instrumental that is honestly less ferocious and engaging than what lies underneath most of the tracks elsewhere on the record. That leads into “Reconcile,” which shifts the tone significantly. Even though the album has always been lyrically optimistic in its conclusions, this is the only song that ever actually feels like it. Its placement right at the end of the record seems like a deliberate decision to leave off with something more inspiring and less bleak

Pain To Power is a righteous and triumphant debut from one of the most promising new rock bands around. Even if parts of the record feel like they're tracing the same ground as its highlights. you can hardly blame the band for knowing what they do well. Between their dizzying post-punk instrumentals, thunderous political fury, and expansive compositions, there truly isn't another band in the world quite like Maruja. As a result, there's no other album in 2025 that will tick all the same boxes in the same satisfying ways. 8/10

For more post-punk, check out my review of the new Pile album Sunshine And Balance Beams