Album Review: a-tota-so – I Told You So (bUTTONpUSHER)

a-tota-so, noise rock extraordinaries, released their brand-new album, ‘I Told You So’, on September 4th, 2026, via bUTTONpUSHER Records.

A new chapter for a-tota-so, I Told You So is remarkable for many reasons, but one that stands out and speaks confidently of the band’s future is the fact that guitarist Marty Toner is on vocals now. This, if you can believe it, creates a more tangible side to their experimental sound, and with something to hold on to, it’s far easier to stay engaged.

That’s not to say that the album isn’t filled baffling, chaotic, and downright weird moments. It’s just that they sound way more focused and that makes the album so much more compelling. Especially as that focus comes with relatable and realistic themes.

One of the album’s strongest tracks is Death Rattle, and the noisy bugger kicks things off. Showcasing a-tota-so’s deft hand when it comes to balancing fun and fast frolics into alternative and grunge-infused areas with expressive explosions of heavy math rock, and every bloody thing in between. It’s awesome, but so is Form of Mass and the way the energy of this one dissipates and the track transforms into something quite different.

Then there is Masks and GRLD. The former is a-tota-so at their most experimental, going from laidback and moody melody that begs “how long will this last” to wild and furious anger demanding that you “wipe that smirk right off your face”. The latter has funky bits, cool harmonies, and a really powerful ending.

Weirdness reaches its peak with Traced Lines, but it is a track that settles down nicely, and Marty’s vocals sound great on it. It’s a short track, complimented by the album’s longest track after, No Tears no Sound. A vast, vivid, and enthusiastic showcase of noisy ideas. Before catchiness hits its peak with the excellent Exit Wounds, a track with depth, and a-tota-so close things out in vibrant fashion courtesy of Raykens. I love how it ends.

The future has never looked brighter for this band.

a-tota-so – I Told You So Track Listing:

1. Death Rattle
2. Form of Mass
3. Masks
4. GRLD
5. Traced Lines
6. No Tears No Sound
7. Exit Wounds
8. Raykens

Links

Instagram | Facebook