Stand Atlantic frontwoman Bonnie Fraser wants rock music to sound less perfect. She says the genre’s increasingly polished production can make records feel alike and leave less room for the human qualities that drew her to rock.

For the Australian band’s fifth studio album, GODBREATH, Fraser and producer Stevie Knight took a different approach: the musicians recorded all 11 songs playing together in the same room, rather than building each performance separately. Fraser said she hoped listeners would feel as though they were present during the sessions.

Released Oct. 23 through Virgin Music Group, GODBREATH debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and the Australian Albums Chart, and at No. 3 on the Vinyl Albums Chart. It is Stand Atlantic’s first album to top the Australian chart. The group’s previous releases rose steadily: Pink Elephant reached No. 23 in 2020, F.E.A.R. peaked at No. 10 in 2022, and WAS HERE reached No. 3 in 2024.

Fraser said her concern is with production trends, not the musicians using them, and noted that Stand Atlantic had also worked with those techniques. As artificial intelligence becomes more common across creative industries, she has found herself drawn to older records and performances whose rough edges make them sound distinctly human. She described rock as music rooted in alternative ideas and rebellion, and said she wanted to bring back an organic connection in the album’s sound.

The record ranges from the melodic “Velcro” to the heavier “SO COOL.” “NEXT2U” draws on the friendships and connections that remain important through years of touring. Fraser said the title GODBREATH came to her before the songs were written. She saw contrasting meanings in the phrase: it could suggest someone’s arrogance, or a positive sense of being comfortable with yourself. That tension, she said, captured the album.

Fraser also said she felt less anxious than usual about how fans would respond. She thought the record recalled aspects of Stand Atlantic’s first album and expected listeners to connect with that quality.

After more than a decade in the industry, Fraser is wary of telling emerging musicians they are special. She said encouragement alone does not guarantee success, and that artists still have to believe in their work and keep at it. She also described pop punk as a genre that keeps changing rather than disappearing.

Fraser sees greater representation in alternative music, particularly for women, LGBTQ+ musicians and artists of color, while saying sexist assumptions persist. She recounted being asked to show a tour pass when male colleagues were allowed through without the same request.

Stand Atlantic began an Australian tour on the day GODBREATH was released, with shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Knuckle Puck joined the run, reuniting with the band after Stand Atlantic supported them in 2018. The group is then scheduled to return to the United States for Vans Warped Tour in Orlando on Nov. 15 before joining Story of the Year and Silverstein on the Camp Screamo tour.

Fraser also mentioned possible projects for 2027, including a collaboration with a heavier band, either as a guest vocalist or through writing a song together. For now, she said, Stand Atlantic’s focus is continuing to play to audiences and make music people connect with.

Sources: Billboard.