On Halloween of 2025, “Florence and the Machine” released a new album for the first time in 3 years titled “Everybody Scream”. This is the sixth studio album of Florence Welch, the band’s lead singer, and could be considered “One of the Greats” (the title of the 2nd track on the album).
Welch is famous for her wail-esque voice, and is known for her previous songs “Dog Days Are Over” and “Hunger.” The biggest track off of the new album so far is the title track, “Everybody Scream”; however, other tracks like “Witch Dance,” “Sympathy Magic” and “Buckle,” my personal favorite, showcase Welch’s voice much better.
The album as a whole has a dark, witchy, whimsical feel to it — similar to works from artists like St. Vincent, Paris Paloma, or Mumford & Sons. “Everybody Scream” is a bit too aggressive for a casual listener, with some screaming interludes and a less melodic sound.
“Buckle,” on the other hand, is a sweet sounding expression of Welch’s range, over a heartbreaking set of lyrics about hanging on to someone from the past. “Buckle” switches jarringly into the quick muttering intro for “Kraken”—a fast beating slow progression. Throughout the album as a whole, the transitions lack smoothness as some songs move directly into the next with completely different energy, which distracts a bit from the backing vocals and instruments. This is seen again when “Kraken” moves into the more chill, angelic “The Old Religion.”
“Sympathy Magic” is a lighter, more indie pop style ballad, where Welch gets to some full voiced notes like in the pre chorus to “The Old Religion” or the focal point of “You Can Have it All.”
Through most of the songs at some point during either an interlude without lyrics or in an intro or outro there is almost gregorian chant style wails. This is most present in “Drink Deep” which possesses this chanting, alongside some wind chime type ringing.
“Witch Dance,” is a depthful personification of death that feels panicked and creepy in comparison to the other themes mainly including female rage, fighting trauma, and working through strong emotions.
Most of the tracks can also be differentiated by their guitar backing, since the instrumentals range from acoustic to emphasized electric or bass heavy.
As a whole, the album can be considered a return to the signature cathartic energy “Florence and the Machine” are known for. Deep, emotional, at times raging, but lyrically masterful, “Everybody Scream” makes the wait for new music worth it. While I may disagree with which songs are currently trending, the album is still fresh and leaves time for changes within the charts as songs become familiar to listeners.
