Album Review: Holy Fuck - "Event Beat"

Event Beat sounds like the Toronto group are still doing their sound justice after all these years, full of trippy, heavy, electro laced dance rock with a huge emphasis on groove.

Satellite Stories - 2026

Holy Fuck! That's not just what I would shout out loud directly at the gods if I accidentally stubbed my toe. No, it's also the name of the Toronto based band consisting of Brian Borcherdt, Graham Walsh, Matt "Punchy" McQuaid, and Matt Schulz. Holy Fuck have been around for over twenty years at this point, producing angular, heady rock music infused with electronics and physical electronic production. The group's breakout self-titled debut and more so their second album, titled LP, really showcases the group's emphasis on producing looping, cut and paste indie rock that's perfect for the factory floor. Later albums, like Congrats and Deleter push the band further with their sound and even attributing guest vocalists from Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor among others. Now the band is back with a new record, titled Event Beat, and it sounds like the group are still doing their sound justice, full of trippy, heavy, electro laced dance rock with a huge emphasis on groove.

Lead single "Evie" initially drew my attention because I have a good friend who is named Evie (she even has her very own Substack and is a great writer!) but also the single's emphasis on heavy groove, with an instantly infectious bass line, it really nailed it on the head for me. Also single "Elevate," another album highlight, is absolutely gripping and instant with its instrumental progression, incorporating elements of post rock, dream pop, and slow burning electronic loops. It's addictive. "Seven" has a muted, slacker rock vibe to it, invoking 90's bands like Pavement or Dinosaur Jr. "Ice Box" is nervy and jumpy with a bustling beat driven groove that's reminiscent of early 2000's electro punk of Chk Chk Chk or LCD Soundsystem (or even older Holy Fuck records for that matter). The moody "Gold Flakes" really stands out as another big win from the band due to its slow burning delivery reminiscent of early emo and indie rock with a more guitar centric tune rather than an electronic one. "Aerosol" has a satisfying groove with the percussive elements and bass marrying together seamlessly while its explosive parts are thrilling. "Bricks" is also satisfying with a mechanically structured indie rock tune that's quirky and jittery like a Battles song off of their Mirrored record. The final title track is a slow burner that is intriguing, but fizzles out before we get to something truly interesting.

If you're familiar with Holy Fuck, then Event Beat shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Electronic laced indie rock is their bread and butter and has been for decades, where this group will play so tightly that they may come off as some hybrid music machine a la Battles. There's plenty to like about Event Beat; it's fun, explosive, and replayable. Its faults do show visibly if you're not interested or fully invested in the group's sound. It may come off as one note sometimes, most notably on tracks like "Czar" or "Diamond" but that's not exactly a huge issue for me. Event Beat has plenty of highlights where it's worth returning to and seeking their back catalog as a result is worth it to those who seek out anything off the beaten path when it comes to electronica or rock music.

My Rating: 7 / 10

Favorite Songs: "Evie," "Elevate," "Gold Flakes," "Bricks"