The Estranged - The Estranged

The Estranged – The Estranged
Label: Dirtnap Records | Format: Vinyl LP (Tip-On Jacket, Includes Download Coupon)

On their self-titled third LP (fourth if you count the Singles Compilation), Portland’s The Estranged push their dark post-punk vision to its most expansive and refined form yet. Known for evolving with every release, the trio—Mark Herman, Derek Willman, and Keith Testerman—emerge here with a record that’s more textured, brooding, and melodically sophisticated than ever before.

While their roots lie in the hardcore/crust legacy of bands like Remains of the Day, From Ashes Rise, and Hellshock, The Estranged shows the group fully immersed in the shadows of post-punk and gloomy psych. Echoes of The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, and even the moody garage-pop of The Troggs shape the sonic landscape, but it’s all filtered through the band's distinctly tense and angular songwriting style.

The album pulses with unease—guitars chime and stab, basslines slither beneath the surface, and the drums remain taut and deliberate throughout. Lyrically, The Estranged keep things ambiguous and emotionally fraught, evoking a disillusioned, almost cinematic atmosphere. It’s not overtly political or personal—it’s something more elusive and compelling: dread rendered beautiful, anxiety turned into anthem.

Housed in a deluxe tip-on jacket with printed inner sleeve (for the first pressing), and including a digital download coupon, this is the definitive physical presentation of The Estranged’s most ambitious record to date. An essential document of a band that’s grown beyond its roots without losing an ounce of urgency. Perfect for fans of melancholic post-punk with grit, brains, and an eerie sense of beauty.