For a band who have only just released their third album, the Automatic have experienced plenty of turbulence in their career. They broke through in 2006 with huge smash hits Monster and Raoul, which both received massive airplay and catapulted the band to selling out huge venues.

Already though, cracks were beginning to show. Alex Pennie, the band’s keyboard player, was noticeably unhappy and the music wasn’t being interpreted in the way they’d hoped. Early singles were re-released with a saccharine sheen and Monster started to become a huge weight round the band’s neck, infamously becoming a chant that prisoners would sing when a newly-convicted sex offender arrived. By the time promotional duties for their debut were wrapped up, cracks had become canyons and Pennie quit the band.

He was replaced by former yourcodenameis:milo singer, Paul Mullen, and they released a second album, This Is A Fix, which unfortunately received almost no promotion and led to the band leaving their record label. Back with new record, Tear Down the Signs, on their own label, the Automatic now look like a band who’ve braved the turmoil and come out stronger. Their new material is more confident than their last release, the choruses are bigger, the riffs meatier and the vocal dynamic between Mullen and singer Rob Hawkins works really well.

New single Interstate has the punch of vintage Foo Fighters and Cannot Be Saved has a nagging chorus that the Manic Street Preachers would be proud of. Onstage the band look like they’re really enjoying it, extending tracks, working the crowd and allowing themselves a huge stadium rock outro to the closing Steve McQueen.

Things may be slightly scaled down for the Automatic now, but that doesn’t matter at all. The bands they look up to – Refused, At The Drive-In, Minus The Bear – either exploded beautifully or are perfectly content with small, but very dedicated followings. Right now the Automatic look happier, more focused and on top form musically, which is very good indeed.