Review: “The World is ending and I have no idea how to stop it” by Halloran

Creating songs which tackle themes including trauma and domestic violence by channelling cult horror and science fiction films, Halloran have been making a name for themselves with intense, introspective and brutally honest material with which they pull no punches. Hailing from Reading in the United Kingdom, the bands reputation is for the kind of incendiary live performances that reduce venues to rubble as they bring together elements of Metal, Hardcore, Punk and Emo to create combinations capable of winning MMA fights across the globe. Their latest burnt offering is  sophomore EP “The World is ending and I have no idea how to stop it”, an unholy trinity of tunes which they hope to use to knock you into next week…

Post-Hardcore sensibilities bleed into “The Poison” era Bullet For My Valentine as “Trauma Related” takes shape, the undercurrent of Pop-Punk in the background hard to ignore. Raw and unapologetic, the lyrical narrative is one that will resonate with anyone who has suffered anxiety, depression or trauma in their life, the lush yet melancholic lead guitars giving it that Metalcore from Melodic Death Metal edge. What pulls it all together is the emotive vocal performance because it has that grit and integrity that tells you the tale is oh so real, the bands varying influences giving them the ability to create something that covers a lot of ground but that is also surprisingly catchy. Whether its those leads or the hummable melody, there is an earworm quality that will keep you coming back for more because you can’t get it out of your head.

The pattern repeats with “Buried in my head” like a vicious circle, the warmth of the riffs and bounce of the bass line making you want to move those dancing feet while a tale of a broken relationship pours out with another incredibly emotive vocal performance. Delicate piano notes in the final moments send a chill down the spine, the heart ache something you can feel as an innocent bystander as it’s soul stirring enough to bring your own memories to the surface.

A play on sonic contrasts “Toothache” finds the band bringing something new to the party in “Morning View” era Incubus funk with break beats and eerie keys accompany the delicate verse which then makes way for a crunchy choruses. The difference between the two constructs is one that will turn heads, the band clearly giving zero f***s about borders, boundaries and genre stereo typing which is refreshing to hear. All in all this collection isn’t so much an EP but something which should allow them to go label shopping prior to doing an album because its that good [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Trauma Related
2. Buried in my head
3. Toothache

“The World is ending and I have no idea how to stop it” by Halloran is out 29th April 2026 and is available over at bandcamp