7/10

Over the years, Canadian art-punk outfit Fucked Up have been one of the most original and captivating bands in the world. Blending hardcore punk with almost any other genre they can think of, the band have been proven a powerful force in the alternative scene for the better part of a decade. But now it seems like the group have pushed themselves even harder for their fifth full-length 'Dose Your Dreams', an 18-track concept record that tells the story of a man living between two dimensions and is shown the world by a homeless but revolutionary old woman.

Just reading through the ideas behind this album can be enough to make your head spin, but the intention is not to get bogged down in the vision for this release, instead to simply sit back and let the whole thing wash over you with its chaotic mesh of thunderous guitars, saxophones and the instantly identifiable vocals of frontman Damian Abraham. Fucked Up have always had this flare to almost sound like two different bands playing at the same time; one full of the angst and energy of their hardcore-punk background, and the other a more caring and optimistic outfit that look to add a sense of uplifting joy into each record. This brilliant juxtaposition remains solid throughout this new LP and cements this return as one of their broadest and most experimental we have heard in years.

'Dose Your Dreams' may occasionally fall into the self-indulgent concept album pitfalls from time to time, but overall, it maintains this solid foundation of power and intrigue that adds this real sense of wonder to their sound. With such a wide range of instrumentation this time around, Fucked Up have delivered a wonderfully diverse and engaging full-length that no-one could honestly find themselves replicating.