Holy mother of rock, Newcastle’s underground just got a whole lot darker. HMRC—the twisted brainchild of songwriter Lloyd Holmes—has dropped “Yankee Candle,” and this thing is absolutely unhinged in the best way possible.
Holmes, the mastermind behind this whole operation, cooked up this fictional nightmare during a single bout of insomnia. Yeah, you heard that right. One sleepless night, and this dude poured out a story so gnarly that he apparently needed therapy after reading his own words back. That’s some seriously messed-up genius at work.
So what’s “Yankee Candle” actually about? Buckle up, because this one’s a doozy. Holmes spins a chilling fictional tale of a jealous ex-boyfriend plotting to ice his former girlfriend and her new squeeze. It’s dark, it’s twisted, and it doesn’t pull a single punch.
Now here’s where it gets even more badass. Instead of sanitizing this chaos in some pristine studio, HMRC decided to capture the whole thing as a live performance at Little Buildings Newcastle. Smart move, if you ask me. That live recording choice preserves every ounce of raw intensity and bedlam that makes the story so damn gripping.
Holmes drew his musical inspiration from Slint’s experimental post-rock vibes, while the lyrical heat comes straight from Suicide’s harrowing “Frankie Teardrop.” And you can hear it all crashing together in this beautiful, unsettling mess. It’s the kind of track that makes you feel like you’re watching a car crash in slow motion—you know you should look away, but you just can’t.
This single serves as a brutal introduction to what’s coming next, with HMRC’s debut album “Cost of Living” set to drop later this year. If “Yankee Candle” is any indication, we’re in for a lot.
Newcastle’s underground scene is absolutely buzzing right now, and HMRC is leading the charge with this fearless, unflinching vision. “Yankee Candle” doesn’t only push boundaries—it obliterates them. Play this one, lock your doors, and let Holmes‘s twisted storytelling wash over you. Just don’t blame us if you can’t sleep afterward.