Twin SKELETONS DELIVER THEIR ANGER IN NEW BUBBLE-GUM FLAVOURED DOOM “PACESETTER”

After a year of new music, festivals and supports for bands like Kid Kapichi and Snake Eyes, Twin Skeletons return with their most energetic track yet. “Pacesetter” is a high-octane rush of bratty vocals, jagged riffs and restless adrenaline – a three-minute blast of what the band call “bubble-gum flavoured doom” and their own self-coined subgenre: “BRAT CYBERPUNK”. Already making waves on TikTok, the track cements the South Coast quartet as one of the UK’s most exciting new names in alt rock.

Q: “Bubble-gum flavoured doom” is such a killer phrase. How did it come about – and what does it mean to you sonically and lyrically?

Twin Skeletons: It actually came from the reaction we were getting on TikTok when we teased the song. People kept commenting that it sounded like it belonged in Doom or Black Ops 2 multiplayer. We knew the track was heavy, but we hadn’t thought of it like that until then – and it shaped how we’ve marketed the single. The “bubble-gum” part is Phoebe’s sassy singing style sitting over those heavy guitars. That’s also where our other genre tag “BRAT CYBERPUNK” comes from.

Q: You’ve supported acts like Kid Kapichi and Snake Eyes and built a reputation for high-energy shows. How has playing alongside those bands shaped the way you approached writing and performing “Pacesetter”?

Twin Skeletons: “Pacesetter” has been over a year in the making. During that time we’ve played some amazing shows and learned what the crowd really reacts to – the heavy moments, the breakdowns. Even though there’s a lot of production on the track, we always imagined it as a live song designed to create the biggest mosh pits we’ve ever seen. Playing alongside bands like KK and Snake Eyes has shown us how high energy really pays off, and we want to bring that same intensity.

Q: Your sound pulls from Paramore’s pop-punk hooks and Bring Me The Horizon’s breakdowns. How do you balance all those influences and still carve out your own lane?

Twin Skeletons: A lot of it happens naturally. When we’re working on an idea we’ll compare certain elements to other songs to give the rest of the band a clear direction. Bring Me, Artio and Knife Bride came up a lot during “Pacesetter,” and you can definitely hear it. But the way we play, sing and perform gives it our own flavour – especially Phoebe’s voice, which really helps us stand out.

Q: Twin Skeletons are known for stage design, props and lighting rigs. How are you evolving the live experience to match the intensity of “Pacesetter”?

Twin Skeletons: We’re a small band, so we’re limited by venues, budgets and logistics – all that fun stuff. But wherever possible we bring our lighting rig, which is programmed for every song in the set. We honed this at the Kid Kapichi gig with a new intro and some crazy lighting programs for “Pacesetter.” We’re constantly shuffling the setlist, adjusting transitions, and looking at new ways to elevate the performance. Beyond that, we give it 110% every night and hope the crowd does the same.

Q: The lyrics of “Pacesetter” hint at exhaustion, urgency and self-reflection. What personal or collective experiences fed into that emotion?

Twin Skeletons: Phoebe wrote it about the feeling of restlessness and exhaustion from anxiety – but also the weird adrenaline kick that comes with it. It’s about wondering whether, if that feeling went away, you’d be left numb and unable to enjoy the highs that balance out the lows. That’s the tension at the heart of the song.