“How can I forgive those who don’t repent?“
It’s difficult not to see Initiate‘s sophomore record, Cerebral Circus, as one of this decade’s most underrated hardcore records. The potential that shined on their earlier work came to the fore on their 2023 record, packed with emotionally intensity and a breakout performance from vocalist Crystal Pak. Given the wave of popularity that hardcore was on at the time, and still is, it seemed Initiate were set to be the next stalwarts of the genre. While Initiate didn’t quite reach the stars off the back of Cerebral Circus, it became an absolute cult classic – a record that everyone who passed through it has come to love.
In the years that followed Cerebral Circus, many wondered what was to come of Initiate, whether it was them being abuzz on the live circuit or dropping new material. Both have arrived as a one-two punch over the last eighteen months, as 2025 opened with the remarkable “Too Much“, focusing on the anguished helplessness of watching horrors unfold in Palestine from afar. Then, the opportunity to see Initiate‘s sound came around this year, performing festivals and tours on both sides of the Atlantic. This included this year’s Outbreak Festival in Manchester, where they unveiled material and news of their forthcoming record, which we now know as With Love // With Rage.
There is a sense to With Love // With Rage that it’s an epilogue of sorts to Cerebral Circus, as the emotive yell of “Why’s it fucking hard to let you go?” pierces through “Burn After Reading“. The track delves into the grief that Pak expressed on the likes of “Amend“, with a heart and force that rings through the emotions. The callbacks becoming more noticeable later on during “Numb the Pain“, as the track opens with the line “Looks like I’m at the bottom again“, and the familiar jangle chords that were present previously on the likes of “The Surface” strum away in the background. While it could have been a straightforward enough for Initiate to move onto a new chapter, there’s an honesty in their return to the themes and emotions of their previous record. This is especially important, given the struggles that Crystal Pak still faces with grief and depression, as they have discussed on stage during recent live performances.
Much of these emotions and thoughts are delivered and written in the style of a journal, the ruminating thoughts that either demand to be expressed one way or another. In the performance there’s a sheer emotionally exhaustion that is delivered in Pak‘s strained yells the line “I don’t want to die, I just want to disappear” in “Shadowboxing“, or later on with “It’s a special type of torment, when you can’t control your head“. It’s a rawness that none of Initiate‘s previous work delved into this deep, singling out Pak‘s ability to express themselves through screams and lyrics. As the Californian unit have always done, there’s a pointed rage towards the powers of the world, as “Delusions” delivers anger in spades, including the cutting line “Mindlessly follow whatever parasite advertised as a radicalized lie“. There’s also a rhythm to “Delusions” that ensures it packs a punch and gives it a momentum, ensuring its standout quality on With Love // With Rage.
With Love // With Rage is a moment of reflection for Initiate, or Pak herself, closing the chapter on this story. As the closer’s title “Future Saving Grace” suggests, there’s a spark of hope among all the grief and anger of the EP, as “Pick the pieces up and clean the blood from my face” is one of the final lines delivered before closing out on some delicate piano and analogue synths. What the next chapter will hold for this immensely talented band seems more gripping than ever, and hopefully With Love // With Rage will see the first bouquets for Initiate as they get the flowers they’ve long deserved.
