Cardiff quintet Panic Shack have exploded back into the sonic landscape with their first taste of new music since the release of their monumentally successful self-titled debut album.
Landing in July 2025 via Brace Yourself Records, that debut propelled the band straight into the UK Top 40, solidifying their reputation as one of the most exciting and chaotic forces in modern alternative music.
Their new offering arrives in the guise of “Gin & Bear It”, a fizzy punk barnstormer that drops on the absolute eve of the group’s highly anticipated, first-ever North American headline tour.
The single almost made the final cut for last year’s debut LP but was held back until the sonic alignment was completely flawless. For “Gin & Bear It”, the band linked up with heavyweight producer Ross Orton – whose pedigree includes crafting massive sonic walls for the Arctic Monkeys, Amyl & the Sniffers, and Yard Act.
Orton helps unleash a maelstrom of blazing, beefy guitars and righteous fury. Frontwoman Sarah Harvey completely tears apart the monotonous modern rat race, delivering vocal lines originally cribbed from lyrics she scribbled on a stray scrap of paper during a long, lonely night shift back in 2023.
The track is accompanied by a vibrant music video shot entirely on the road during Panic Shack‘s recent headline tour of Germany.
The visual perfectly captures the unfiltered backstage chaos and deep-seated camaraderie the band has wrought in the wake of their breakthrough success over the last year – an energy they plan to carry across the UK, Europe, and North America throughout the summer of 2026.
Reworking the Grit and Finding Method in the Chaos
The journey of the single highlights the band’s relentless work ethic and dedication to their craft, balancing the demands of independent music with everyday life. The quintet—completed by Meg Fretwell, Romi Lawrence, Emily Smith, and Nick Doherty-Williams—spent months dissecting the track’s structure to maximize its raw impact before taking it into the studio with Orton.
“This song has had many iterations, seen many a practice room and taken many forms,” explain the band. “It’s a song that we’ve felt really passionate about getting right, but the music was never fully hitting. We reworked it from the start of the year in any spare time we had around working our jobs and gigging (as we almost always do), which really helped to emphasise the song’s meaning.”
“It almost made it onto our debut album, but it just wasn’t where it needed to be; we felt it didn’t have enough grit – until now. We really clicked with Ross in the studio and are super proud of what the track has become; it sounds massive.”
When it came to translating this gritty energy into a visual format for the music video, the band took a fully hands-on, DIY approach while traveling between German venues, ensuring the video felt like an authentic extension of their live identity rather than a detached, commercial production.
“We took this to another level when recording the video. Went full method,” they say. “The whole video is filmed and directed by us while on our recent tour in Germany.”
“We left no graffiti’d wall un-lip synced in front of, no green room relaxed in, every cool monument photo op used as a backdrop, it was work work work, grind grind grind… but of course we had a blast doing it.”
A Meteoric Rise From the Underground to National TV
The foundations for this busy chapter were firmly laid last July when their debut album launched to widespread critical acclaim. Major UK press gatekeepers including The Guardian, Rolling Stone UK, NME, DIY, Kerrang, and Clash rallied behind the band’s unapologetic sound.
Airplay quickly followed, with three of the album’s standout singles – “Gok Wan,” “Girl Band Starter Pack,” and “Thelma & Louise” – finding a permanent home on the BBC 6 Music playlist. This groundswell culminated in an invitation to tape a live session for Huw Stephens, followed by an incendiary national television debut on Later With… Jools Holland in November 2025.
The commercial reception of the LP was equally historic for an independent punk outfit. The album entered the Official UK Albums Chart at #32, while simultaneously dominating specialty charts by securing the #1 spot on both the Official Downloads and Rock & Metal Albums Charts.
It also clinched #2 on the Independent Albums Chart, #4 on the Vinyl Chart, and #5 on the Physical Albums Chart. To celebrate, the band closed out 2025 by playing their biggest headline shows to date, packing out Brixton Electric in London and The Great Hall in their hometown of Cardiff.
Panic Shack are Breaking the Boundaries of the “Members-Only” Rock Club
Formed in 2018, Panic Shack originally came together as a direct, metaphorical middle finger to the exclusionary, “members-only club” atmosphere that frequently plagues local indie and punk scenes.
They sought to dismantle the idea that playing alternative music had to be hyper-serious, male-dominated, or structurally unattainable for ordinary music fans who just wanted to have a good time.
“Boys make it look so hard,” bassist Em Smith says, rolling her eyes. “Whenever I see someone on the floor fiddling with their pedals with a face like a slapped arse, I think, you’re making this look so unattainable, and it’s actually so fucking easy.”
This refreshingly carefree, pop-sensible approach gives their music a distinct, explosive volatility. After building an intense word-of-mouth live following around Cardiff – praised by critics for fusing early LA-style punk thrash with tightly choreographed stage movements – they quickly graduated to high-profile support slots for Bob Vylan and Soft Play.
Their debut 2022 Baby Shack EP successfully captured that live lightning, causing its initial pink-splattered vinyl pressing to sell out almost instantly. By the time they recorded the full-length album, the band felt an explicit need to showcase their evolution as instrumentalists.
“When we recorded our EP we were very new not only to the band, but to our instruments,” says guitarist Romi Lawrence.
To achieve this, Panic Shack purposefully expanded their sonic vocabulary, weaving vocal harmonies, synths, electronic experimentation, and brass elements into their core instrumentation. Influenced by the dancefloor-friendly energy of acts like Confidence Man, they consciously stepped out of the rigid boxes the industry tried to place them in.
“We sound nothing like that, but it’s our version of it,” says guitarist Meg Fretwell. “We’ve been shoehorned into being called a punk band, but that’s not all we’re about.”
A Story of Unbreakable Friendship Destined for Global Stages
What makes Panic Shack truly irresistible is the foundational bond between the members. Entirely swerving the traditional rock tropes of sex, romance, and clichéd heartbreak, their entire discography revolves around the fierce, ionic bond of their friendship.
It plays out like a coming-of-age film compressed into a single, chaotic night out – beginning at the bar and ending with an emotional sunrise declaration of love for your best friends.
“This band has taken us on the most mental journey that nobody else will fully understand,” says Meg Fretwell.
Their self-titled debut serves as an open invitation into this tightly knit universe, exposing every facet of their collective identity without filters or pretense.
“We’ve always wanted people to come in and be part of our world, and this album is every part of who Panic Shack are. The party side, the angry side… It’s a story about us, really,” vocalist Sarah Harvey explains. “That’s why we named it after the band. We can’t help but be ourselves.”
Looking ahead, Panic Shack faces an exceptionally busy summer on the live front. Their massive North American headline tour kicks off on June 9th in Washington, DC, running through to June 29th where it wraps up in Los Angeles. They will return to the United States in September for a highly anticipated run opening for The Sex Pistols and appearing at the CBGB Festival. Combined with major UK and European festival slots at Green Man and Latitude, the stage is set for “Gin & Bear It” to become an anthem of collective release.
“We’re really excited to play ‘Gin & Bear It’ live this summer,” the band concludes. “It’s always a buzz to see how fans react to the songs, hopefully it’ll give people a release, where they can let loose with us and maybe even let out a big fat scream.”
Check out the video for “Grin & Bear It” below:
You can stream/download the track HERE.
Watch this space for updates in the Music Videos category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
