ALBION – TATTOO – NEW SINGLE REVIEW

Tattoos are an interesting topic for a song, when you consider how divisive they can be and how perceptions are made, but Albion have taken that preconception and flipped it on its head with their new single, ‘Tattoo’.

Even in 2026, tattoos still carry some kind of baggage, whether that be class, rebellion or professionalism, but I find this track is exploring the idealism that a tattoo is often judged and dismissed before meanings are sought. Similarly to how artists and bands can be dismissed before being allowed to blossom.

This latest release from the Camden indie rockers comes as the third instalment in the build up to their debut album, ‘Testament’, coming this year.

The band consists of Ben Traini (Vocals), Jake Wilson (Guitar and vocals), Luke “Bids” Box (Guitar and vocals), Sophie Bishop (Piano, keyboard and vocals) Hunter Jones (Bass) and Jack Collins (Drums).

Similarly to their last release ‘Are You Wendy James?’, this track opens with a Sophie Bishop piano melody. This time it’s a climbing, soft melody that’s quickly interjected with the roaring bass, guitar and drums ahead of Traini’s opening line.

He begins with the line “Are you raw, are you red with all your questions? Are you blotched without boundaries or belief?”. Immediately this is exploring the theme of an emotional state before fully committing to a craft and the discomfort of having plenty of questions without answers. Being blotched hints towards making mistakes, but the lack of boundaries means there’s freedom to continue with the chaos.

This is a strong start to the track, immediately placing the listener into the position of documenting the moments before confidence exists. As Traini continues over the same roaring melody, the lyrics are delivered in a bellowing, chanting melody that you cannot help but nod along to. There’s a turning point as he sings the line “I tore out my trophies, smoked them so slowly and tattooed everything.”

Again, the picture this paints is vivid but can be interpreted multiple ways. For me, this explores the theme of achievements and accolades that don’t reflect the real work and moving the boundaries on how to measure success. Once again pushing the underlying message of the song that you should wear your language and craft openly, however controversial that may be.

This theme continues throughout the single as it builds towards a spine-tingling guitar solo. Again, Bishop’s piano melody takes the forefront until the guitars and drums accompany. It ends in a catchy, head-bobbing melody that bounces up anddown the strings until Traini picks up the lyrics and the same melody nestles itself beneath the vocals.

Wez King (Frontman of Tres Kings) described this song as “A bar fight on a pirate ship” when he first heard it in February 2025 at the end of a week of recording at the Albion Rooms, Margate.

As the song reaches its climax, there’s a juxtaposition in the lyrics. “I scrawled on the rolling ribs of the broken and tattooed everything.” Scrawled implies haste and imperfections compared to the permanence and deliberant notion of a tattoo, acknowledging the mess without disowning it.

The hit finishes off with the line “I will tattoo everything”. Repeating the same phrase but shifting the tense turns this into a vow. It’s a commitment from the band to continue owning and refining a language that cannot be erased.

Speaking of the hit, Ben Traini told us “Set sail atop the tumultuous waters on a stream of consciousness and flowing poetry. Tattoo, at its core, is a song about writing, and the depths that one goes to to develop their ability and mastery of language”.

He continued “It’s full of vivid imagery and tumbling cadence plastered above a jaunty, janky score, that will take you to faraway lands”. As the song crashes to an end the pace of the instruments slow until eventually coming to a complete halt, allowing for Bishops meandering melody to close the song, exactly how it started.

‘Tattoo’ perfectly captures how trends fade and opinions shift, but ultimately once a craft is honed it stays with you. Like a tattoo, this song becomes a permanent addition to Albion’s body of work. They’re accepting judgement before an understanding is made. The track isn’t asking for approval, it’s pre-emptively accepting consequence and choosing authenticity over safety.

There’s more to come from these rock’n’rollers as they build towards the debut album ‘Testament’. I’ve been fortunate enough to hear some of the unreleased tracks live, and I can whole-heartedly say that this album will be going straight to the top of my most listened, and I’m sure it will resonate with many others out there.

In a Songbird HQ exclusive, we can confirm that the ‘Testament’ will be released on 26/02/2026. Keep an eye on Albion’s socials for more details to follow.