Shame

Shame emerged from South London's post-punk revival in 2014, five schoolmates channelling frustration and claustrophobia into tightly wound, confrontational rock. Their 2018 debut Songs of Praise captured the anxieties of austerity Britain with vocalist Charlie Steen's unhinged delivery and jagged guitar work that recalled early Talking Heads and The Fall. The album earned Mercury Prize recognition and positioned them alongside Idles and Fontaines D.C. in Britain's politicised guitar resurgence.

Second album Drunk Tank Pink (2021) showcased sonic expansion, incorporating krautrock repetition and textural experimentation whilst maintaining their feral energy. The band's live performances became notorious for Steen's physical intensity, often performing shirtless and seemingly possessed. Third record Food for Worms (2023) found them exploring vulnerability without sacrificing aggression, addressing masculinity and mental health with uncomfortable honesty.

Shame represent post-Brexit British youth articulating disillusionment through visceral noise. Their music operates as both catharsis and documentation, translating generational malaise into angular, uncompromising post-punk that refuses easy consumption.