I Want To Go Home.
Artist: Kaonashi
Genre: Metalcore
Record Label: Equal Vision Records
Release Date: 6 June 2025
Kaonashi’s latest album, I Want To Go Home. , is messy, intense, and strange in a way that feels intentional. It builds on the chaotic energy of their previous works, but with a bit more control this time around. The band isn’t interested in making things easy. They never have been, and go fully into their mix of mathcore, emo, metalcore, and post-hardcore, all tied together by Peter Rono’s vocals, which still sound unique and divisive.. Depending on your tolerance, that’s either part of the appeal or the main reason you’ll bounce off the album entirely.
This release continues the band’s ongoing lore, centred on fictional characters like Taylor, Jamie, and Jackie. The narrative is detailed and filled with callbacks, so if you’re new to the world Kaonashi is building, you might miss some of it (go listen to their other work, it’s worth it). But even without knowing all the backstory, the emotions come through clearly. There’s grief, confusion, regret, and anger all over this record. Whether it’s spoken, screamed, or delivered through a breakdown, the message is hard to miss.
The album starts with “Confusion In A Car Crash,” an instrumental that sets a serious tone. Then comes “Fairmount Park After Dark,” which goes straight for the throat with fast riffs and a guest feature from Piantini Toribio of Newcomer. It’s one of the heavier tracks, and one that sets the tone for what follows. But just when you think you’re locked into a style, they pivot.
“Extra Prayers” is peaceful and sounds pleasant, with more math rock than metal. It’s brief but has room to unwind. “When I Say” increases the pace of the songs again, with clean singing by guitarist Alex Hallquist that is different. Using bursts of abrupt time changes and smoother sections is how the album maintains its rhythm.
Some moments work well, like “Slower Forms of Suicide,” which manages to sound big without losing control. The pacing is slower but still heavy, and it carries a lot of weight. “Red Sink, Yellow Teeth” blends in some nu-metal elements, which might sound off on paper but feel natural in the middle of the record. “J.A.M.I.E.” has a strong riff, though the Anthony Green feature doesn’t add much. It’s one of those tracks where Kaonashi could’ve probably done more with less.
What’s so great about this album is not necessarily the combination of music styles or the narrative—it’s the little things. There are foreshadowings of the other songs and little extra sounds that are fun to discover when you play it back. Transitions between songs may be unexpected, but they generally work because the songs maintain the same energy. “Fly on the Wall” is more alternative rock-sounding, and although it isn’t as solid as the preceding songs, it serves to round out the album.
The final section of the album is more concentrated. The “Sanguine” suite begins with “Elephant in the Room” and concludes on “The Sanguine IV – Exit Pt. VII (The Confession of Classroom 2114),” which ties everything together. It begins with piano and gradually gets bigger, utilising the same melody throughout from the start again. It does not wind down to a soft finish, but it does finish well. You know it is finishing, although parts drag on a little too long.
Not everything lands. The constant genre shifts can be hard to keep up with, especially if you’re not already familiar with the band’s style. Still, there’s a lot to appreciate. Kaonashi continues to take risks, and even when something doesn’t work perfectly, it feels like they’re pushing forward rather than playing it safe.
Vocally, Rono is at his best here. He moves between different styles more easily than in past albums, and the balance between spoken word, shouting, and melody is sharper. The drumming from Ryan P. stands out, switching from blastbeats to tight grooves without losing step. The technical side of the band has never been an issue, but here it feels more intentional.
I Want To Go Home isn’t the band’s most immediate or catchy work, but it might be their most consistent. It’s still weird, still dramatic, and not for everyone, but it knows what it wants to do. It doesn’t try to explain itself or water anything down. Kaonashi has carved out their space, and this album is them leaning into it without hesitation.
If you’re familiar with Kaonashi’s earlier material, this might not hit as hard as Dear Lemon House, but it’s worth sticking with. It takes a few listens to settle in, but once it does, it makes sense. A lot is going on here, and not all of it is easy to take in at once, but that’s kind of the point.