Jesusfreakhideout.com: Sam Hauge, "EXIT 9B

JFH Indie Review

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Sam Hauge
EXIT 9B - EP

Artist Info: Discography
Street Date: April 25, 2025
Style: Pop Punk / Rock / Metal
Official Site: SamHaugeMusic.com

Sam Hauge took JFH by storm in 2023. The new indie artist scored the number two spot in the staff average Top 10 with his debut album, Out of Isolation, and even became a featured guest on the JFH Podcast. The easycore flavored pop-punk album came out of left field and impressed many. Naturally, Hauge's follow-up would be drawing a lot of attention. EXIT 9B isn't just "Part 2" of Out of Isolation, as the EP sees Sam pushing a little deeper into the metal influences that only very lightly scratched the surface on his debut.

EXIT 9B is sort of split musically with a nice little ballad to offset things a bit. The openers, "No Excuses" and "Fame You Can Buy" are much more metal influenced musically. Both tracks feature Hauge's Pundik-esque clean vocal (no screams), but push just a bit beyond easycore stylistically and fall a little closer to the thrashier side of things -- sort of like Sum-41's Slayer influence. These are by no means thrash metal songs, but there is certainly a heavier nature to them. "Teach Me To Be Wise," "Too Late For Second Guessing" and "Only When You Provide" are a little closer to what you'd expect after hearing Out Of Isolation. This trio is pop-punk at its finest and has a strong New Found Glory influence. "You Still Remain" serves as a nice little bridge to bring the two sides of the EP together and shows a slightly different side of Hauge.

Much like this debut, Sam isn't afraid to speak up spiritually. In "Teach Me To Be Wise," Hauge is asking for guidance and wisdom from God singing, "Teach me to be wise. Keep me in Your light." In "Still Remains" he sings, "The kingdoms we build will all crumble and fall and our securities will fail and bring us down to a crawl. So, I will not put my peace in this broken tragedy; I'll look to the One who reigns." He goes further after the bridge to say, "You are all I need; You give me a melody and a song to sing. With every word You speak, You're proving Your victory. It will be complete." These are just a few of the highlights, but there are great lyrical moments throughout.

EXIT 9B may catch some off guard a bit with its opening two tracks, but they aren't all that far from what we heard in 2023. Personally, I think the EP shines most in tracks three through five, but the entire composition is quite enjoyable. Most importantly, this nineteen-minute-long EP has good replay value. Listening back-to-back isn't a chore at all and feels almost mandatory. Sam Hauge is still a relatively new artist, but his work continues to stand out. Fans of pop-punk and easycore will most definitely want to give Sam's newest work a listen.

- Review date: 5/30/25, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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JFH Staff's Second Opinion

Sam Hauge's debut album in 2023 was a massive surprise hit with me, claiming the top spot on my top ten list for the year. Needless to say, I was eagerly anticipating new music from the man, which he's finally delivered with EXIT 9B. The EP is a decent follow-up to Out of Isolation, as it almost feels like a compact version of the album, delivering the same mix of pop punk and easycore that Hauge has become known for. "No Excuses" is a bit of a misleading intro track, as it leans a lot more into Hauge's Skillet-ish hard rock influences, but it does transition nicely into the Sum 41-inspired "Fame You Can Buy." The chugging guitars, double bass, and high energy rhythms here are infectious, as are the melodies of "Too Late For Second Guessing" (a favorite of mine). The pop punk aspects are definitely the hook for me here, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Hauge's knack for writing standout ballads; "You Still Remain" and "Only When You Provide" are catchy, well-written, and even worshipful, and they make the EP a nice, well-rounded sampler platter of everything Hauge brings to the table. EXIT 9B is highly recommended for fans of pop punk and hard rock! - Review date: 5/23/25, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com