Attack on Memory – I thought I could be more than this.

When to listen: You want in your face garage rock:
Accessibility: Ish
TLDR: A sonic explosion of well-polished garage rock.

A rage, an explosion, a sonic overload—Attack on Memory, the third album from Cloud Nothings, is nothing short of a masterclass in modern grunge/emo. Nodding to ’90s emo, grunge, and math rock, the record consistently delivers a high-energy blast of raw emotion.

I first stumbled onto Cloud Nothings about ten years ago, and ever since, they resurface in my playlists for a month or so every year. A band that’s always balanced on the edge between grunge and pop-punk, they bring a jagged intensity that feels essential when life turns irritating or frustrating. It’s a void to scream into—rage sharpened with precision, laced with just enough hopelessness to sting.

The album has several standouts, but my favorite is “Wasted Days,” a sprawling track that builds slowly before crashing into a cathartic crescendo, the singer howling “I thought I’d be more than this”—a sentiment almost everyone recognizes at some point in life. It’s followed by “Fall In,” which snaps back into a tighter, pop-punk groove, keeping the record balanced and dynamic. “Separation” adds another twist: a fast-paced, math-rock-tinged instrumental that bends expectations. This tension—between pop-punk riffs, emo vulnerability, and grunge fury—is what makes the album, and the band, so compelling.

Cloud Nothings isn’t everyday listening. For some, it’s too much. But on those days when you’re over it and need a sonic outlet, Attack on Memory is perfect. After all, we all need a little time to stay useless.