Summer of Peril is a four-piece alternative rock band based out of Fort Collins, Colorado, founded by Alex Forbes and Matt Lopez after meeting through the Colorado hardcore scene in 2023. Initially a three-piece, the band quickly grew to a four-piece by late 2024 after releasing their debut album, HOMESICK, and currently consists of Alex on rhythm guitar and vocals, Matt on bass, Jacob Spiersch on lead guitar, and Julian Ferrara on drums. Featuring a broad range of genres, Summer of Peril is best known for their mix of grunge, post-hardcore, and shoegaze.
There is a haunting presence to “Streetlights,” a highlight from Summer of Peril’s split EP with Strayline, which is available now. The dense, shoegaze-esque mix creates a warm yet dark blanket that looks to contain the hazy catharsis of the vocals, almost as if the two elements are at war throughout this psychedelia-fueled tune. The way the vocals stumble through this forest of chugging guitar melodies and thudding drums gives way to some dramatic, nail-biting swells, immersing the listener in this invisible battle where a winner can only be determined by Summer of Peril’s continued, fearless experimentation. “Streetlights” introduces a young band well on their way to a singular sound, with this tune beautifully detailing the attention to detail this band brings.
“‘Streetlights’ is a very personal song to me. It was one of my earliest demo tracks, written in 2021 and recorded several different times before eventually ending up on our debut album HOMESICK, although I still wasn’t happy with it,” explains Forbes. “We wanted to use this revision as a chance to step further into shoegaze territory, as we feel it encompasses that dreamy, but melancholic sound and feel very well. I think we finally did it justice this time around.”
