Never Loved

There was a time when Camm Knopp wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He’d already played in a few bands and ghostwritten some songs for another artist, even approaching acclaimed producer Matt Squire for his expertise. Undeterred and still inspired, he began writing songs using his own frustrations as inspiration and sent a few demos to Squire, the pair soon began working in the studio together.

Finally, everything had fallen into place and Knopp assembled the rest of Never Loved – bassist and long-term friend Jay Gayoso, and drummer Kevin Blackburn. The chemistry was immediate. Slick yet savage, these songs navigate his internal anxieties, insecurities and emotions via crunching riffs and a knack for killer yet off-kilter hooks and soaring choruses. Underpinned by a ’90s grunge/alt rock aesthetic, they’re vital, heartfelt bursts of intelligent and emotional angst.

“Dead Inside” battles against Knopp’s feelings of creative stagnation and uncertainty, while “Charged” is an almost sinister take on power-pop, all fizzing, fuzzy guitars, visceral screams and existential subject matter. Yet, Never Loved isn’t a band who want to stick to just one genre, either – “Gone” is one long crescendo riddled with intense electronic flourishes, while “Goddamn” is a perfect pop song that doesn’t sound anything like a pop song. Each track also echoes the grand ambitions and ideas he has when it comes to being in a band and the drive and the determination he has to make it happen.

• Over It (2021)