Despite the fashionable looking metalcore layout this EP drops five tracks of brutal metallic hardcore with lots of chugga styled chord progressions, massive breakdowns, slightly melodic and heavy old school styled rhythms, and throaty vocal shouts. The recording needs work because the drums are a little overly taut and lack resonance, I'm scarcely making out any significant bass guitar, and the guitar tone has a weird midrange sheen over it that keeps the crunch from maximum efficiency. The vocals sound pretty good to me, but everything needs more in your face density, because the songwriting is right up my alley with this one, and I'd love to hear them with a stronger sound. There's a good dose of classic European metalcore influence wrapped up in here as well, tossing in a little more subtle melody to a core that's kind of based around the classic NYHC style of crushing, straightforward chord progressions (just taken to a more modern level of heaviness). It's a consistent listen without a ton of changeups, but "Hope Bound" gets a little faster with its picking patterns at times and messes with some quick discordant dual guitar layering, "Fuck Hearts" has some of the more interesting melodies and chord phrasings of the entire disc, and "Washed Away" has some sick midpaced dissonant chords and another major mosh rhythm. I'm not into the layout at all, though. I don't mind its minimalism but they use too many different fonts, and the images of the girl with the handgun and the hand grenade are generic as hell at this point. It says "Straight Fucking Edge" in huge letters under the CD tray, but I wouldn't have guessed they were a straightedge band based on the lyrics, the artwork, or the band name. Go figure. All of the songs are about pretty standard topics like fighting for what you believe in, regret, standing up for your friends, etc. The layout just misrepresents the sheer force of the music. I'm not saying it needs to be a generic record cover with skulls and Old English lettering or whatever, but... I'd never guess from looking at this thing that the songs are as good as they are, you know? Not bad, though. A stronger recording would prepare this band for total destruction. I'll be keeping an eye out for their next record.
[Goodbye Blue Skies]
Running time - 14:45, Tracks: 5
[Notable tracks: Fuck Hearts, Washed Away]
Goodbye Blue Skies Records - http://www.goodbyeblueskies.com
