Alas are a band from Jyväskylä, Finland who play an exquisitely pretty, majestically violent form of screamo. They formed in 2020 and immediately started churning out EPs and splits. At the end of last month they released their debut full-length, Uusi Vuosi, which today gets wider release through the great worldwide screamo hub Zegema Beach. As the label promises, this thing leans on the immaculate indie-rock side of the skramz continuum: “No chugs. No breakdowns. No metal. Just gorgeous Euro screamo with the tiniest hints of emo-violence.” That’s not to say it’s weak — those glittering guitars hit hard, and the rhythm section charges even harder. The vocals are harsh and intense and rarely if ever clean. It strikes me as the Fucked Up formula — fierce, almost grotesque howling paired with ambitious yet approachable rock — applied to screamo. Develop your own assessment below.