Is this the soundtrack to your next office team-building event? Melbourne's The Beautiful Monument return with Euphoric Thriller, their third full-length album and first in seven years. Released through Greyscale Records on August 7, 2026, the ten-track record blends alternative rock, emo, post-hardcore, and pop-rock, with melodic vocals, electronic touches, and plenty of big choruses. The band describe the album as a collection of deeply personal, diary-like songs exploring grief, identity, survival, mental health, and discrimination. Produced alongside Chris Lalic, the record has a very clean and polished sound, but that comes with a downside: sometimes the music feels a little too safe and predictable. There's nothing particularly wrong with the performances, and vocalist Lizi “Blanco” McIntosh has a strong voice, but I often found myself waiting for the songs to do something more interesting.

“Game Over” opens with soft, slightly muffled percussion before introducing alternative-rock riffs and synths that add a little extra personality. The female vocals are clean and powerful, leading into a big chorus with an accessible, almost radio-friendly feel. The drums have a satisfying punch, and the band sound like a capable group of musicians who know how to put together a catchy rock song. The big “wooo-ooh” hooks give it plenty of singalong potential, but the overall arrangement feels extremely safe. It's the kind of music you probably wouldn't mind hearing in the background, but it's not necessarily something you'd go out of your way to play. Inoffensive is probably the best way to describe it.

“Mayday” follows with a soft drum build-up, low guitar riffs, and distant backing vocals before the main vocal delivery enters with a slightly distorted quality. The drums become faster, and the synths bring some additional energy to the arrangement. The chorus has a fun, catchy riff that gives the song a little more personality, but it still feels fairly familiar. I'm starting to wonder whether this is what people mean when they talk about coworker music: perfectly pleasant, easy to listen to, and unlikely to offend anyone, but not exactly something that gets your blood pumping.

“Dancing With The Buried” starts with softer beats before bringing in larger, drawn-out guitar riffs, deep bass, and heavier drums. The vocals feel stronger here, and the guitar work has a little more bite than the previous tracks. There's a sense of weight that helps the song stand out, at least initially. Unfortunately, the band occasionally pull the instruments away to leave the vocals sitting over simple drum beats, and these sections interrupt the momentum rather than adding much emotional impact. The heavier riffs have potential, but the song ultimately passes by without leaving much of an impression.

“CraveAnythingThatStays” doesn't do much to change that feeling. The riffs and drums sound relatively flat, with electronic beats providing the foundation for vocals that shift between singing and a more conversational delivery. McIntosh occasionally reminds me of Hayley Williams, although the performance can also feel surprisingly restrained and lacking in personality. The track has some interesting ingredients, but they never quite come together into something memorable.

The title track, “Euphoric Thriller,” opens with soft vocals, low bass, and shaker-style percussion before gentle electronic beats fill out the arrangement. However, when the guitars and drums arrive, they sound flatter than I'd hoped. Considering the title, I was expecting something with a little more excitement, but the song never really develops into a particularly thrilling experience. The atmosphere is pleasant enough, but the arrangement feels underwhelming.

“Cry About It” finally brings some much-needed energy. Deep synths, heavy riffs, and punchier drums give the band a stronger sound, while McIntosh's vocals sit confidently above the instrumentation. The slower sections work particularly well, allowing her voice to carry more emotional weight. The bass also has a thicker presence, and the overall production has a satisfying crunch that was missing from some of the earlier tracks. The more personal lyrical direction seems to give the performance an extra sense of conviction, and there's even a heavy electronic breakdown that adds some welcome intensity. This is much closer to what I wanted to hear from the band.

“Sorry...” takes things back down with soft beats and gentle singing. The darker electronic textures create a slightly playful but uneasy atmosphere, and the vocal performance works reasonably well. Still, the softer sections don't build into anything particularly engaging, while the darker riffs that eventually appear feel a little toothless. There's an idea here, but it never quite reaches the emotional or musical payoff it seems to be aiming for.

“Off Script” opens with restrained vocals and soft percussion before introducing bigger riffs and heavier drums. The instrumentation has a much stronger punch, and McIntosh brings some welcome energy to the vocal performance. The bass also sounds thick and full, giving the heavier sections more weight. It's one of the more engaging moments on the album, although by this point I was starting to feel the limitations of the record's overall pacing. Despite being only around 30 minutes long, Euphoric Thriller can feel surprisingly drawn out, and some of the songs struggle to hold my attention.

“Bring It” introduces some floating synths before launching into another round of familiar alternative-rock riffs and upbeat rhythms. The guitar work is serviceable, and the electronic elements are pleasant enough, but neither does much to make the song stand apart from the rest of the album. Finally, “See You On The Other Side” opens with soft piano before gradually introducing guitar riffs, drums, and bass. There's a little more emotional weight to the arrangement, making it a fitting choice for the closing track. The softer opening gives the song room to develop, and the heavier instrumentation adds some much-needed depth.

One thing worth mentioning is the production. Chris Lalic has given the album an extremely clean and polished sound, with the instruments generally sitting nicely together. However, that level of polish occasionally works against the music. Some of the songs could use a little more roughness, grit, or dynamic contrast to give them personality. When the band lean into heavier riffs and more energetic performances, the material comes alive. When everything settles into familiar pop-rock patterns, it can feel a little lifeless.

Overall, Euphoric Thriller is a competent alternative-rock record with some strong vocal performances and a handful of enjoyable heavier moments. The Beautiful Monument clearly have the musical ability to put together catchy songs, but too much of the album relies on familiar structures and predictable choruses. “Cry About It” and “Off Script” show flashes of what this record could have been with a little more aggression and personality throughout. The personal subject matter gives the album an interesting foundation, but I wish the music took more risks to match those themes. It's a perfectly listenable release, but one that struggles to leave a lasting impression.