SINGLE REVIEW: The Juliennes – Rat Race

The Juliennes burst out of Los Angeles with ‘Rat Race’, a debut single that feels anything but tentative. If this is the opening statement ahead of their 2026 album Prisoners, they’ve made one thing unmistakably clear: subtlety is not the point. This track arrives screaming, snarling, and clawing its way forward with a sense of artistic theatre that’s instantly arresting.

Built on angular chords and pulsating drums, the song moves with a jagged momentum that never settles into comfort. Everything feels deliberately spiky and striking, like the band want the listener slightly off-balance at all times. Fuzzed-out vocals sit at the centre, raw and gritty yet delivered with an unexpected sense of grandeur, giving the track a commanding presence that leans into both shock-rock boldness and something more avant-garde.

There’s a real dark, sinister pulse running through the whole thing — a blend of 80s goth rock influences with a fresh, modern volatility. The riffs absolutely scream, not in a metal sense, but with that tightly-wound, tension-heavy bite that turns melody into menace. It’s dramatic and theatrical in a way that feels intentional rather than ornamental; the band clearly revel in creating something that’s part rock track, part performance piece.

What makes ‘Rat Race’ hit so hard is its sheer confidence. Nothing about it hesitates. It’s loud, adrenaline-fuelled, and unapologetically arty, pushing past convention without falling into chaos. The sense of impending impact grows as the track unfolds — the kind of energy where you expect something to explode at any moment, and when it does, it feels earned rather than excessive.

As a debut, it’s a striking introduction: bold, creative, heavy, and brimming with personality. The Juliennes aren’t just entering the scene — they’re kicking the door open with enough force to rattle the hinges. If ‘Rat Race’ is any indication of what’s coming on Prisoners, their first album could be something genuinely distinctive.