Album Review: Puppet Cell - Throwing Knives In The Dark (2025)
- Stuart Ball
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
Written: 26th April 2025
It has been two years since the release of Puppet Cell’s debut album – Freaks and Heathens (review here) and since that time, the band have played live shows and been writing new music with the full involvement of vocalist Ryan Cronk, who joined the band during the making of that release.
These Pills, a single first released over a year ago (full review here), was always envisioned as the opening salvo for an album that's been carefully sculpted over nearly two years. Remixed for the record, it emerges even more raw and immediate, both lyrically and sonically. Grappling with mental health struggles, the futility of medication, and profound familial loss, it’s a song unflinching in its dissection of shared human pain. Your head don't work in case you didn't know / You should try these pills and we'll see how it goes / If you can't sleep then please give us a call / Don't be surprised if you don't wanna eat at all. Paul Wray’s intelligent drumming and gritty, grinding guitars ignite the track, hurling listeners straight into the turbulent world of Puppet Cell. Shifting tempos and textures weave through the song, offering fleeting moments of respite, brief and illusory, much like the temporary solace the lyrics suggest medication provides. Andy Dean’s exquisite guitar work - from the melodic mid-song interlude to the later, anguish-drenched solo - layers the piece with a deeply affecting emotional spectrum. It’s a stunning opening statement for the album, with every band member making vital, resonant contributions to its power.
Second track Burning opens with far more introspective and contemplative guitar but with another lurking distantly, there is a sense of unease about the introduction, which the band allow to linger for the first thirty seconds. Vocalist Ryan Cronk demonstrates just how adept he truly is, effortlessly handling the quieter opening minute before the song ignites and he unleashes the full power of his delivery. Speaking to the band recently (full interview coming soon), it was clear that each member was determined and committed to playing for the song and not for themselves as individuals. The opening minute of Burning is just one of many examples in which this is proven - Wray’s drumming restrained and thoughtfully constructed. Guitarists Paul Owen and Andy Deans form a formidable partnership, Owen laying down some truly intense riffs and Dean’s soaring solo work taking the song to an entirely new level. Lyrically, Ryan Cronk is amongst the most talented writers working today. Burning wrestles with doubt, guilt, and the fear of eternal damnation. Through haunting repetition and vivid imagery, it captures the desperation of seeking redemption while fearing judgement. Well how long do I get here / Waiting, waiting / Or is this my new eternity? Burning highlights the dynamic songwriting of which Puppet Cell are capable, where every element converges to create a track that is as gripping as it is emotionally devastating.
In Brilliant Black takes the tempo and volume down a little from the opening two songs but sustains the searing emotional weight of the album. Beginning mysteriously with the sound of a musical box, Puppet Cell are taking us in a slightly different direction. This merges with the sound of rhythm guitars leading us forward as acoustic guitars and drums join. Holding together the emotional undercurrent of the album is bassist Rob Sutton who is consistently impressive in his understatement. Although dealing with serious subject matter, there is something eminently catchy about the chorus of In Brilliant Black which is both memorable and malevolent. And darling it’s all in there / In brilliant black / And you saved me so I kept it all in / Oh, to protect you. Exploring internal pain, love and self-sacrifice, the protagonist hides their torment to protect someone they care about. Despite salvation through love, he remains consumed by darkness, seeking meaning in his silent suffering. In Brilliant Black shows a band thriving with confidence and the ability to take their music to previously unexplored territories.
From the first chords, F.I.N.E. is an altogether more abrasive, heavier affair on a track that highlights influences such as Soundgarden. It blends the aggression of metal with the gritty soul of grunge, delivering chunky riffs that anchor the song’s energy. Hard-hitting, it creates a captivating, sonic experience through the use of an excellent vocal performance and small but important embellishments that show just how much thought has gone into the details of the album: the extremely short but effective guitar break at seventy seconds being one such instance. Once again, Ryan Cronk’s lyrics are unfiltered and unvarnished. So many promises I can’t keep / I’m sleepwalking / Right into another trap / The hunger I’m always craving. Pulling us through a grim, uncompromising portrait of self-inflicted ruin, addiction and greed consume the protagonist who is fully aware that that salvation is not coming. Unflinching and bleak but utterly intoxicating.
Ships In The Night – which uses nautical metaphor to convey emotional isolation and unspoken tension - is the closest that Puppet Cell have ever come to writing a ballad. However, the uneasy nature of the overall atmosphere and graphic lyrical exploration of the need for connection amidst growing distance mean Ships In The Night - which, in places hints a love of Nirvana - will never be included on any power ballad compilation. Nevertheless, it is an exquisite example of how Puppet Cell can balance a surface level feeling of simplicity, while deeper and repeated listens reveal just how much thought has been put into its arrangement; Rob Sutton’s subtle bass lines smouldering with deep, unresolved passion.
A graceful introduction draws us into Where Were You? where the verses glide gently before crashing into the chorus’s unrestrained vehemence. However, during the latter part of the track, the raw ferocity refuses to be vanquished and the band unleash the full spectrum that is their audacious potency. It stands as one of the most fevered eruptions on the entire record. Guitarist Paul Owen also serves as the band’s producer and it is testament to the skills he has developed in this second role that during such a searing climax, every instrument can be individually identified. Cronk’s lyrics bleed with bitter disillusionment and grief curdles into fury. And I’m trying to write songs about ghosts / While the good Lord does what he wants / Tearing out my hair cos it’ll just fall out if I don’t / Tell me how am I supposed to just sit / And make it through all of this shit / I hope there’s a drink when I get home / ‘Cos I’mma need it’s help when I’m alone. Where Were You? is an unrelentingly, mesmerising lament torn from a soul abandoned by faith and loved ones alike.
Just when you are wondering how Puppet Cell could possibly top what has come so far, Hotel Death’s Door ends the album with the most complete, full realised and flawless masterpiece they have ever written. Drenched in darker tones, it conjures the same haunting storytelling essence and structures that defined Bruce Springsteen’s early years. Despite Ryan Cronk’s vocal and lyrical heroics elsewhere, this is his finest hour in both respects. His ability to weave complex themes of dementia, loss, and isolation into a heart-wrenching narrative is nothing short of extraordinary. Jerry’s life inside his room / With no one else to talk to / He’s all alone / In the suite at the hotel death's door / And his family, they all wait ‘cos / He was more than they could take / They sold it all / For his room at the hotel death’s door. Listeners feel Jerry's pain through every line, supported by music expertly composed in terms of dynamics, atmosphere and timbre. From poignantly stripped back verses with just voice and acoustic guitar, to the highly moving use of piano or the best guitar solo on the album from Andy Deans, Hotel Death’s Door is the closing track Throwing Knives In The Dark deserves. Among the best songs you are likely to hear this year. Expect to shed a tear or two.
With their second (and unfortunately, most likely their last) album, Puppet Cell have produced something truly special. Much as I enjoy their debut album, this feels like a step up in terms of song writing, experimentation and the pure elegance of the instrumentation. The lyrics provide an unguarded look into the human condition, while the music shifts between forceful and delicate moments, highlighting the band’s range and depth. With both stirring melodies and intricate arrangements, this album invites listeners to reflect on their own experiences. Paul Owen’s production impeccably balances the need for brute force, fine-threaded nuance, and aching humanity. Throwing Knives In The Dark stands as one of the most impactful releases of the year. It will leave a lasting imprint on listeners with its profound emotional depth and remarkable musical execution. Astonishing.
Throwing Knives In The Dark is released on 4th May 2025
Puppet Cell online
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