Howling Bells, the Australian indie rock band that sounds like they belong on a ‘Life Is Strange’ soundtrack. Edgy, cinematic, and just the right amount of guitars to evoke that feeling of longing and nostalgia in all of us. New album Strange Life is out 13 Feb.
It’s been over a decade since their last release, Heartstrings, in 2014. After that, each member started focusing on other projects and personal life, but still remained friends, so that the door was always open for a return. And when ‘Unbroken’ was released in September 2025, they returned with even more passion and practice.
‘Unbroken’ starts the album off with this dark and spacious sound, like driving alone with city lights blurring past. Stein’s voice is the centerpiece, cool, smoky, and emotionally controlled, which makes the lyrics hit even harder. It gives off this quietly strong energy, like their older songs such as ‘Into the Chaos’ or ‘Low Happening’.
If it actually were in a ‘Life Is Strange’ soundtrack, ‘Unbroken’ would be that moment when you’re standing still after the storm, realizing you’re still here, reminiscing on all your choices and how they got you here.
That’s why the ‘Life Is Strange’ vibe clicks so naturally to me when I listen to it. So much of the narrative revolves around emotional growth, tough choices, and surviving life’s storms. So when you hear Juanita singing over moody, atmospheric guitars about standing strong after struggle, it’s like the musical equivalent of Max or Chloe navigating Arcadia Bay, thoughtful, resilient, and quietly powerful, just like the band’s life journeys and growth over time.
And this truly sets the stage for the album, because ‘Angel’ and ‘The Looking Glass’ are truly the embodiment of moody rock that, to me, gives Pierce the Veil energy, but whispered instead of screamed. A bittersweet, dark, yet dream-pop-leaning tune.
‘Sacred Land’ takes a turn, showcasing Stein’s powerful and enticing voice, and from there, the second half of the album settles into a sound that feels like a blend of Mitski and Lana Del Rey, intimate, reflective, and emotionally heavy in a quiet, absorbing way.
‘Halfway Home’ also sounds like a dreamy Lana Del Rey reflection moment, almost like when you’re soul-searching and realize you need to go home now. (And I was loving every second of it!) Your wild side is now a cozy homebody, and that’s okay. Sometimes, in order to truly learn our lessons in life, we need to leave our comfort zone and then finally come back to the familiar, boring simplicity when we realize that’s what we really wanted all along.
‘Dreamer’, I think, is truly when you start to feel like this musical journey you’re on is at the part where you’ve made it. You’re okay with the life you’ve built, the lessons you’ve learned, and now you can truly see the growth and how it has shaped you.
‘Chimera’ and ‘Sweet Relief’ evoke this strong persona where you’re self-assured and setting boundaries moving forward in life. And to wrap it all up, ‘Light Touch’ is this fun, happy-go-lucky, confident moment where you can finally enjoy life and all its lefts and rights.
Overall, just like the title suggests, it truly is a strange life, going through so many experiences, having hopes and dreams that you don’t even know if they’ll come true, experiencing happiness, trauma, heartbreak, and everything in between. Life is, in fact, very strange.
But just as Stein said:
If you’re not able to acknowledge the mistakes and the pain and make beautiful music out of it, then they’re left festering inside of you.”
– Juanita Stein, Howling Bells vocalist/guitarist
This album will take you on a truly crafted whirlwind and make you stop and look around every once in a while to enjoy the moments, no matter how big or small, happy or sad. Howling Bells did it again, turning music into a beautiful piece of art.
Strange Life is available 13 Feb on all streaming platforms.
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