Tontine is the fourteenth studio album by the British post-punk and alternative rock band Spear of Destiny, released on 6 April 2018. Funded entirely by fans through private pre-sales, the record was released independently on frontman Kirk Brandon’s own label imprint, EasterSnow Recording Company. The album features a seasoned lineup of alternative rock veterans, including guitarist Adrian Portas (formerly of New Model Army) and bassist Craig Adams (formerly of The Sisters of Mercy, The Cult, and The Mission). Musically, the nine-track album delivers the band's signature atmospheric, brooding, and guitar-driven post-punk sound.
The album's title is derived from an 18th-century investment scheme where the last surviving member inherits the entire pooled fund. Brandon chose the name as a dark, tongue-in-cheek reference to a joke among the aging band members about who would live the longest. True to this grim inspiration, the lyrical content explores heavy themes of mortality, life, death, and political rebellion. Critical highlights and fan-favourite tracks from the record include the lead single "Second Life", "Brighton", and "MK Ultra".
Spear of Destiny's 2018 studio album, Tontine, stands as a powerful testament to Kirk Brandon's enduring songwriting prowess, seamlessly merging the aggressive energy of post-punk with a mature, brooding introspection. Backed by an alternative rock supergroup consisting of veterans from New Model Army, The Cult, and The Sisters of Mercy, the record entirely avoids the pitfalls of a mere nostalgia trip. Instead, it feels vital and immediate, with critics at Vive Le Rock noting that it delivers vintage Spear of Destiny with effortless panache. Rather than coasting on past glories, the band captures a distinct contemporary relevance, driving their anti-heroic spirit right to the forefront.
The album opens with incredible momentum, immediately grabbing the listener with a dense wall of sound. The opening track "Brighton" sets a dark, threatening tone, combining thundering bass lines with unsettling, cinematic string arrangements that mirror the tension of a looming conflict. This sonic menace carries directly into "MK Ultra", an intense exploration of CIA mind-control experiments. Brandon delivers his biting, acerbic lyrics over a driving beat, building into a massive, rebel-rousing chorus that echoes the anthemic energy of the band’s 1980s heyday while remaining firmly anchored in modern anxiety.
Beyond the aggressive post-punk anthems, Tontine shines brightest in its willingness to embrace vulnerability and conceptual depth. "Afrikan Proverb" stands out as a haunting highlight, using a slow-burning march to reflect on the tragic loss of cultural wisdom when generational elders pass away. This heavy atmosphere gives way to the delicate, heart-wrenching acoustic arrangement of "No Other", where Brandon's pleading vocals are beautifully framed by minimalist brass and harmonium work. Similarly, the futuristic, western-style riffs of "Monuments In The Sand" offer a bleak, politically charged lament over humanity’s destruction of the Earth’s natural resources.
Ultimately, Tontine succeeds because it balanced righteous fury with an overriding sense of humanity and optimism. While a few critics argued that the heavy-handed rhetoric occasionally lacked irony, most agreed that Brandon’s distinctive vocal delivery has lost none of its passionate edge. By filtering adult themes of mortality and political rebellion through complex musical textures, Spear of Destiny delivered a deeply rewarding album that on-magazine.co.uk praised as an intellectual, thought-provoking triumph. It is a vital chapter in their discography, proving that forty years into his career, Brandon can still produce some of his most compelling work.
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1. Brighton
2. MK Ultra
3. Medievalists
4. Second Life
5. No Other
6. Afrikan Proverb
7. Enigma
8. Monuments In The Sand
9. Mr. Livingstone I Presume
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