smile, you're on camera reads on paper like a sonically abstract painting, fusing seemingly incompatible genres over a metalcore canvas. Windwaker embraces this eclectic approach wholeheartedly, delivering an infectious, catchy album packed with some of their best material to date. Lyrically, it explores personal experiences and defiance, with a sense of voyeurism that reflects its title as the band pushes back against a system of scrutiny and its detractors. Across all 12 tracks, the album strikes a near-perfect balance between its highs and lows.
Infectious doesn’t even begin to describe its choruses. These earworms burrow into your brain, driven by electronic elements that feel injected straight into your veins. Liam Guinane absolutely nails the soaring clean vocals and rap sections sprinkled throughout the album. The interplay between cleans and screams isn’t just a studio trick, either. Having witnessed their North American tour live, his vocal prowess is undeniable, matched by the energy he brings to the stage. Guitarist Justin Keurntjes and bassist Indey Salvestro shift seamlessly between rapid fire riffs and crushing breakdowns, while drummer Chris Lalic and synthesist Connor Robins work in unison to deliver creative beats across multiple genres.
Kudos to the band for ‘low’ being held back until the album’s release because it’s easily one of their strongest tracks yet and honestly, their best song to date. The fusion of rap, metalcore and electronica works flawlessly, with a hook so addictive it demands repeated listens. A cinematic intro interrupted by a “what the-” leads straight into a rap section, immediately establishing the tonal shifts and soundscape that carry through the remaining 11 tracks. Near the end, a breakdown pairs with looping clean vocals singing “You know, you got me so low” before drifting chords blend directly into the previously released ‘closer’.
‘click’ is another standout that picks up the pace with hyperpop synths and creative electronic textures. Explosive by nature, the track is elevated further by RinRin’s vocals and attitude. The brutality of the screams doubles down on ‘do or die’, where pop inspired drum beats weave through metalcore breakdowns to embody the aggression of picking sides and putting that conflict on full display. ‘dna’ continues the momentum, combining trap influences and a fast-paced buildup with heavier metalcore elements, all anchored by a catchy chorus exploring inner duality.
Tracks like ‘closer’, ‘lie to me’ and the closing song ‘some days’ pull back into more melodic territory, allowing the lyrical substance to shine through some of the band’s most emotionally resonant material. Thematically, the tracks ebb and flow between the highs of having all eyes on the band and the more personal struggles beneath the surface. ‘burn’ is a personal favourite, a slower-tempo track that feels like a cathartic release midway through the album. It serves as a brief reprieve before the momentum shifts gears, with the song’s final third embracing a more in your face attitude that hints at what’s to come.
‘victory Lap’ embodies self worth and rejection of harsh criticism, becoming an anthem of liberation and personal growth. The ‘wait for me’ interlude ventures into pop and R&B, offering a welcome reset before diving headfirst into ‘loser’. This hyper-dream pop synth frenzy will have anyone two-stepping while getting pulled into a video game inspired soundscape that somehow works. The best analogy would be a collision between Porter Robinson with breakdowns reminiscent of Dayseeker and Beartooth. It’s arguably the album’s most unique and creative track, one that will easily become a crowd pleaser.
‘overlord’ takes the album into its final stretch with a brutal finish, crossing nu-metal and alternative influences reminiscent of early Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory with the sheer heaviness of Wage War. Its aggressive sound is driven by an electronic edge straight out of the 2000s, building toward a crushing breakdown punctuated by the line “I didn’t waste my fucking breath”. It’s easily one of Windwaker’s most brutal songs and a mosher’s delight.
Windwaker have created an impeccable genre-blending metalcore album that isn’t afraid to pull from a wide range of influences while drawing on the personal experiences that have shaped the band. smile, you're on camera is a synth-brutalist, hyperpop orchestra of duality and introspective truths, delivered through catchy choruses and infectious lyrics. Catch the band on their Australian tour before they head to the US to support Beartooth on the North American leg of the Pure Ecstasy World Tour, kicking off on 11 November 2026.