interview with Low Standards, High Fives

Low Standards, High Fives have been around since 2012. They have released several EPs, compilations, and two full-length albums, including Everything Ends, which was released at the end of 2025.
Alan – Hi, how is emo rock and emo hardcore currently doing in Italy?
Ame - The Italian emo outfit Low Standards, High Fives return in 2025 with their sophomore full-length album, Everything Ends — a collection of eight songs exploring awareness, self-discovery, and the constant evolution of both.

Alan – I ask this question to everyone, I will ask it to you too. How did you get together? When a musician is looking for people for classic rock or metal, let's say he finds musicians easily, but for EMO, in my opinion, it is very difficult to find them.
Ame - Active since 2012, the band has spent over a decade crafting their distinctive sound across several EPs and live performances, culminating in a record that feels both introspective and expansive. Everything Ends was recorded by Manuel Volpe and co-produced by Volpe and the band themselves, capturing a raw yet refined energy that bridges nostalgia and modernity.

Alan – Could you introduce the readers to the members of the band and who plays what? Possibly also what else they played?
Ame - Rooted in the ’90s emo scene — taking cues from bands like The Promise Ring and Mineral — Low Standards, High Fives weave their influences into something distinctly their own. The band’s unique lineup features three guitars and three vocalists, creating a rich interplay of arpeggiated melodies, sudden bursts of distortion, and a rhythm section that remains sharp, inventive, and propulsive throughout.

Alan – Can we break down the songs from the album? Musically, lyrically, and inspiration?
Ame - Everything Ends is not just a title but a statement — a reflection on impermanence and growth, on learning and unlearning. Each track invites listeners into a process of ongoing transformation, told through heartfelt lyricism and dynamic instrumentation. The album is available now on all major streaming platforms and as a limited edition vinyl, released in collaboration with Engineer Records (UK) and N. Says (Italy). “Everything Ends isn’t a pessimistic title — it’s about accepting that things change, and that’s okay. Every ending holds a bit of beginning.”
“When we started writing these songs, we realized they were less about stories and more about states of mind. It’s about learning who you are, and understanding that you’ll never stop learning.”
“Working with Manuel Volpe helped us strip everything down to what really mattered. The production feels alive — you can hear the room, the mistakes, the breath between the notes.”
“If our first album was about figuring out who we were as a band, Everything Ends is about understanding that identity never stops shifting.”

Alan – Thanks for the interview. I hope to see you somewhere sometime. I keep my fingers crossed for the Italian scene.
Ame - Listen to “Everything Ends” — and rediscover what it means to begin again.

https://www.facebook.com/lowstandardshighfives
https://www.engineerrecords.com/