Temples on Mars: The Last Ship

I have to admit something up front. Temples On Mars is one of those younger bands that clearly has talent to spare, the kind that can bend and blend modern prog, alternative metal, electronic textures, and big melodic choruses almost at will. But there’s also this sense of youthful eagerness in their music, like they’re still trying on different outfits instead of fully settling into their own skin.

Their new album The Last Ship does very little to hide that energy, and honestly, it makes the record both exciting and slightly uneven.

The opening stretch is easily the strongest. “Sleepwalking Into Extinction,� “Kill Fun,� and “Smile� hit with confidence and purpose, all sharp hooks and muscular rhythms, showing off the band’s ability to craft infectious and heavy modern prog with real punch. Josh Freese contributes drums on several tracks, and you can feel that extra snap and precision right away. This early burst gives you the impression that Temples On Mars is leveling up.

But after that, the album starts drifting into a zone that’s still good but not as distinct. More mid-tempo passages, more electronic clouds, more of that “modern alternative metal� polish that a lot of new bands have mastered. They play it extremely well, no question, but some songs begin to blend into each other in tone and attitude. The ambition is there, the execution is clean, but the uniqueness wavers a bit in the middle stretch.

The band’s own notes mention a desire to push electronic elements forward while also dialing up heaviness, and that checks out. There are textures here that feel broader and more atmospheric than their previous work, and lyrically they explore awareness, mortality, and reflection… themes that give the album a conceptual thread even when the music softens. Tracks like “Safeword,� “Daydreamer,� and “Human Fiction� feel like emotional pauses, and while they’re nicely crafted, they don’t always command the same attention as the early songs.

And yet, none of this makes The Last Ship a weak record. It actually feels like the opposite: a transitional album made by a band stepping toward something bigger. They’re capable of writing powerful, catchy songs, and they’re equally capable of exploring deeper moods. Once those two worlds merge more naturally, the identity will fully click. That’s the exciting part.

In short, The Last Ship is a strong, modern, well-produced album that shows a band with a ton of potential, still refining their voice. The highlights shine bright, the mid-album stretches could use more individuality, but the talent is unmistakable. With another spin or two, even the tracks that feel “samey� might start revealing hidden layers.

Let’s keep our eyes on these guys… they might be one album away from something truly memorable… Cheers!

Track Listing
1. Sleepwalking Into Extinction (4:11)
2. Kill Fun (4:54)
3. Smile (4:51)
4. Wolf Undercover (4:00)
5. Safeword (3:39)
6. Daydreamer (5:37)
7. The Flight Of The Mercury Raven (5:32)
8. No Love Lost (5:29)
9. Human Fiction (3:46)
10. The Plot To Murder Time (6:15)

Added: December 2nd 2025
Reviewer: Jose Antonio Marmol
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 73
Language: english

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