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Ah, summer time – the time of the year when everything comes
to life. Winter’s bitter and harsh days have melted away into sunny skies and
warm weather. Days are now spent pool-side or by the lake as you bask in the revitalizing
sunlight. Sunburnt faces, cargo shorts, and skaters roam freely on the streets
as ice cream trucks slowly crawl through the neighborhoods. Road trips and cabin jaunts soon become the
center of your plans, which are slated to make the most of each passing day.
Late evenings may be spent around a bonfire or at a skate park with friends,
watching the sun set below the horizon and giving rise to starry nights that
leave a youthful twinkle in your eye. You’ve got your bags packed, your
skateboard in hand, your money in your pocket, and your keys in hand, but what
you’re really missing is a summer soundtrack to blare out of your stereo.
Thankfully, Italy’s 4th N Goal has exactly what your summer ears
have been dying to hear. Their new EP,
Turn On the Light, is packed with all
of the head-bopping riffs and catchy choruses that you need to narrate your
summer adventures.
Kicking off this album is “Pickles”, a catchy, bouncy track
that exudes nothing but good-old fashioned pop-punk fun in every potent
riff. A fade-in melodic riff steadily
rises and explodes into a frenzy of hard-hitting energetic riffs and pulsating percussion
that will instantly having you smiling and kicking your feet in the air.
Spastic melodic arias and pick-slides abound this track as guitarists Tommy and
Dimi weave punctual poppy chords with grooving punk and easycore-infused riffs
that are sure to induce maximum foot-stomping and head-bobbing. Drummer Tommy Poletti executes flawless
percussive elements of crashing cymbal play, excellent fills and rolls, and
toe-tapping footwork and snare hits that perfectly compliment the rest of the
instrumentation as bassist Mike Frutto’s apt licks steadily groove on. Vocalists Mocho and Sam present a raw and
honest quality in their vocal display of smooth and slightly scratchy clean
vocals and emphasizing their lyrics with segments of shouts and high-flying harmonies
that sail overtop the infectious hail of vibrant and energetic instrumentation
as they pour their hearts and souls into each verse.
Up next is “Red Line Extreme”, another fun-loving track that
will groove its way deep into your ears with an amalgamation of punchy riffs
and dynamic instrumentation. An extremely brief lick and drum fill quickly
erupt into fast-paced airy riffs and driving percussion. Guitarists Tommy and
Dimi take a much more poppy approach to their instrumentation, crafting perfect
head-bobbing riffs and soaring, spastic melodic overlays and arias that
practically bleed youthful exuberance. Tommy Poletti once again flexes his
percussive prowess, throwing everything he’s got into every throbbing hit,
kick, crash, and expertly-crafted fill that will have you violently head-banging
and sending your body soaring through the air. Mocho and Sam audibly throw all
of their passion into each verse, adding tasteful harmonies, short spurts of
yells, and the occasional accentuation of a gruff, scratchy quality for lyrical
emphasis as they flex their commanding vocal dynamics.
Though tracks such as “Pickles” and “Red Line Extreme”
showcase the band’s lively musicianship and energetic qualities, 4th
N Goal’s excellent cover of Bring Me
the Horizon’s “Drown” is without a doubt the album’s stand-out track. Guitarists
Tommy and Dimi replace Bring Me the Horizon’s previously slower, melodic and
emotionally dread-filled riffs with invigorating fast-paced punk riffs and charging
bursts of melodic licks and solos, and the occasional squealing pinch harmonic
to invoke full-body rhythmic spasms that you can’t help but fall in love with.
Tommy Poletti also modifies Bring Me the Horizon’s driving percussion,
installing faster head-bopping and limb-flailing percussive elements of sharp
snare hits and crashing cymbal play as Mike Frutto’s bass licks pop and
flourish overtop the heart-racing instrumentation. Mocho and Sam juxtapose layers
of excellent cleanly sung harmonies with spasms of gruff yells and shouts to
retain the original vocal quality while still giving the lyrics an audible 4th N Goal
& pop-punk-esque spin on the tonality and delivery. What makes this track
truly stand out is the perfect harmony in which the instrumentation and vocal
delivery fully thrive in as they give a much more energetic and vivacious
approach to a heart-wrenching song.
The album closes with “Ken Burns”, a lively track that will
instantly grip your ears with eye-dilating, commanding instrumentation that
will have you singing and flailing along. A powerful eruption of vibrant,
fast-paced poppy punk riffage and pounding, quick percussion instantly greet
your ears from the moment you press play. Tommy and Dimi take a more punk
approach in their instrumentation with quick, palm muted riffs and slamming
chords that are accentuated with spastic melodic overlays and soaring, bent
notes that retain that fun, exciting, driving pop-punk feeling in their
performance. Tommy Poletti once again
wages war against his kit with a series of head-bopping footwork and drumstick-snapping
hits, fills and cymbal crashes as Mike delivers a quick infestation of grooving
bass licks. Following parallel to the energetic and whiplash-inducing
instrumentation are Mocho and Sam’s commanding, relatable lyrics and quick,
heartfelt- although sometimes unintelligible- layered vocals as the band drives
home the classic, elating pop-punk sense of youthful recklessness that will
leave you physically exhausted by the end of the track.
Overall, 4th N Goal have created one of the most
lively pop-punk releases of 2015. The band’s penchant for energetic, vibrant,
and vivacious pop-punk instrumentation audibly bleeds throughout the duration
of this dynamic EP. Where 4th N Goal noticeably trips up is in their
vocal delivery, which, in tracks such as “Ken Burns” and “Out of Tortillas” can
become very muddled and unintelligible.
But where they lack in vocal clarity they excel in instrumental delivery
and excellence that very clearly states or accentuates the lyrical and vocal
emotion in each track. Pack your bags, grab your skateboard, and head out to
the car, because summer’s warmth is upon us, and 4th N’ Goal’s Turn On the Light EP is the perfect
start to a windows-down, pizza-and-road-trip-filled, sunny season.
8.5/10
For Fans Of: Neck Deep, Chunk! No Captain Chunk!, Four Year
Strong, Set Your Goals
Get out your cargo shorts, flannels, and order some pizza
because The Story So Farhas a new
album that will knock your pizza sauce stained t-shirt off.
In January 2015 a video was posted “The Story So Far Album
Teaser #1" was uploaded on the band's official YouTube channel. The video
shows clips of the band members with friends goofing around and having fun. At
the end of the video a text-roll appears, saying "We are writing a new
record stay tuned...” On February 23, 2015 the band uploaded another video
titled “The Story So Far Album Teaser #2” this video features behind the scenes
clips, and footage of the boys working on the new album. The text-roll that
appeared at the end of this video was "LP 3 Coming Your Way Watch Out
World Here We Are Not Afraid Of The Light." On February 26 the band
Tweeted saying the album was finished. In April they released a few singles; on
May 11 the band posted a stream of the entire album to their website and the
album is set to be released on May 19.
The self-titled album
begins with the track “Smile” a heavy opener and a testament to conformity with
lyrics like “Tell me how you fit in and where do you begin? Do you toast when
they toast? Do you sin when they sin? ” Up next is “Heavy Gloom”, a track in
which frontman Parker Cannon hopes that his ex feels lonely without him and
reflects on her actions towards him. “Phantom” – an instant The Story So Far
classic- features mellow guitar melodies and Cannon’s soft crooning. The final
track, “Stalemate” is a surprisingly milder track and, though not as heavy as
the opening track, is a good, strong finale to the album.
This album is not too different from the albums before; it could
even be considered as “Under Soil and Dirt” part two. The album themes remain
the same as the ones before: each track revolves around a bad ex-girlfriend and
Cannon executes his lament well with his vocal gymnastics. The album was hyped
up a lot to be somewhat anti-climactic, as the sound of the album and the
lyrics were familiar to fans. However,
the album is still a good listen, and The Story So Far did a great job with
their new lyrical material. New and old
The Story So Far fans will appreciate this album and it will surely be one of
the favorite pop-punk albums of the summer. (Konstantina
Buhalis)
Favorite Tracks: Phantom, Nerve, Smile, and Heavy Gloom
7/10
For Fans Of: Knuckle Puck, Man Overboard, The Wonder Years
Georgia is famous for country stars, but recently the state
has produced an indie band that has the ability to become larger than life. Robbed By Giants hails from Rome,
Georgia, and they have just released their first album titled Worst of You,
Best of Me.
The album features five tracks, fueled by the rawness of
the acoustic guitar, and has a southern charm to it. Their stylings are
slightly varied, but the band maintains an overall indie quality. While the band is new
to the scene, their style of music seems familiar. The music is gritty, and the
entire album was recorded in two days. The instrumentals are the real star of
this album, Thomas Orr, vocals and guitar, does an excellent job of balancing
his vocal abilities with guitar melodies.
Jordan Epperson, the percussionist is laid back with his style, he does
not over play the drums, and he meshes the percussion perfectly with the vocals
and guitar.
All of the tracks on this album are slightly varied. The
first track “Satisfied” is a jumping track, complete with a horn section. The
second track “London” is a textbook indie track, soft melodies, quiet vocals,
and illustrative lyrics. The following
track “Part 1(Worst of You, Best of Me)”
follows suit with the same quiet intensity as the previous track. This song is
emotional, a true indie love song. “Part
2 (Epps)” is an instrumental track, and showcases the band’s technical skills, featuring a reprise of the horn section that was used in the first track. The final track “Anything” is another love
song that is addressed to an unknown lover. The album deserved to have a
few more tracks, because it feels like it drops off at the end. Some might find
the album to be slightly boring because the last few tracks are all similar and
have the same tone and slightly similar instrumentals. However, the band’s musicality and Orr’s
crooning vocals really set the stage for the indie album you didn’t know you
wanted.
In conclusion, Worst of You, Best of Me is a tasteful, charming album that sounds as if it belongs in the soundtrack for Grey’s Anatomy. Robbed By Giants has the potential to make a name for themselves in the indie scene. (Konstantina Buhalis)
Favorite Tracks: London,
Part 1 (Worst of You, Best of Me)
People will do anything to avoid facing themselves. We
naturally prefer to tackle obstacles in the simplest way possible, regardless
if it’s actually the right way to solve an issue. Unfortunately, when we are
faced with personal issues, we opt for simpler, temporary solutions rather than
long-lasting and healthier alternatives. Our favorite solution? Avoidance. We
avoid such a daunting task as self-reflection or introspection rather than
directly deal with our issues at hand. Why? Because it’s easy. It’s easier to chase white dragons, hit the
bottle, and shut out other people. It’s easier to avoid looking directly into
the mirror for fear of whom or what we may see reflected back at us. As a
result, we further deteriorate, rendering ourselves empty shells or distant
echoes of who we once were as we are slowly consumed by the endless cycle of
running from our own shadow. Some of us will spend the rest of our lives
running from our mistakes, our past(s), and ourselves. Others will stop
running, turn to face their issues, and create something from their
self-destruction. Standing amongst those courageous few is none other than
Columbus, Ohio’s Until Yesterday. Their debut full-length release, We Learn to Live With Ourselves, narrates a harrowing reflective
tale as it mercilessly thrashes your ears with every passionate riff and
emotive verse.
Kicking off the album is “Spring Rain”, an explosively
energetic track that will grip your ears with every emotionally devastating
riff and verse. Dark, brooding notes and
licks gradually meet a pulsating drum fill before exploding into an abusive
torrent of skin-shredding riffs, driving percussion, and thick, heavy
screams. Guitarists Morris and Patton
masterfully mesh together sporadic, fast-paced riffs with controlled, slower,
bitter riffage as wailing melodic overlays soar overhead to create a dynamic,
face-ripping, eye-widening instrumental effect. Drummer Nathan Conley unleashes
a storm of relentless, ear-popping percussive might in a series of expertly
crafted rolls, fills, footwork, and cymbal play as bassist Alex Sheridan’s
bitter undertones steadily groove on. Vocalist Nicholas Marzluf wields a
brilliant display of rich mid and high screams, brutal low growls, and effects
such as split-scream harmonies and tastefully light echoes to add extra layers
of intensity, punctuation, and depth to his overall vocal delivery. An interlude built upon mildly ambient,
brooding, melodic licks and the familiar introductory drum fill reaches culmination
in the form of an aggressive and energetic breakdown before returning to the
previously devastating riffage and gradually fading out to the sound of a
gentle piano medley.
Up next is “When the Light Leaves the Room”, a ravaging
track that is bursting at the seams with jarringly emotional riffage and
intense, heavy breakdowns. Sweeping, apologetic plucked notes and a light piano
aria gently lead your ears to a false sense of security before introducing you face-first
to a traumatic amalgamation of hard-hitting, slightly reverberated riffs and
licks, grooving bass undertones, and pulsating percussion. Gloomy, melodic riffs beautifully melt into
somber licks and melancholic overlays, which in turn violently clash with
tumultuous and sporadic bursts of searing, heavy riffage. What makes Morris and
Patton’s instrumental delivery so powerful in this track is their inherent
sense of maintaining energy through stop-and-start riffage, in which heavy riffs
are rudely interrupted for blissful, sorrowful light melodic licks and riffs
before suddenly plunging back into the hail of heavy instrumentation. Conley’s drumming
follows in a complimentary parallel fashion, crafting stellar rolls, fills, and
cymbal play to create the perfect accentuation to the rest of the
instrumentation. Marzluf puts more focus on his rich, full-sounding mid-scream
range in this track, instead lightly placing highs, lows, and spoken-word-yells
as accent marks to add depth and emphasis his vocal delivery. Multiple breakdowns
abound this track, each one adding perfectly poignant intensity and emphasis to
the track as the collective musicality and instrumentation savagely tears at
your ears like wolves to a moose’s hide.
Though quite a few songs can be considered as standout
tracks, title track “We Learn to Live With Ourselves” is absolutely deserving
of an honorable mention. A lengthy drum fill instantly greets your ears and
soon meets a sweeping piano medley before taking on an aggressive form of vicious
and irate instrumentation. Spastic, ferocious riffs that seethe with a violent
anger progressively build in intensity as sporadic flecks of melodic overlays join
the fray of murderous, whiplash-inducing instrumentation. Conley displays a
dynamic and unrelenting percussive display of quick footwork, excellent cymbal
play, and expert execution of rolls and fills. Marzluf’s ferocious mid screams
and harsh high screams take the forefront of his vocal delivery as he audibly
pours his heart into each word of every verse. The seemingly endless onslaught of blood-boiling,
vicious instrumentation comes to a sudden halt in an interlude built upon emotionally
drenched riffage that simmers out into muted chords and licks before further
dissolving back into the seductive introductory piano medley, leaving you
breathless, emotionally destroyed, and shaking.
The album closes with “Strain”, a somber track that will
tear your heart out with each doleful riff and lick. A rush of emotionally
drenched melodic riffage, driving percussion, and harsh screams instantly greet
your ears from the moment you press play. Morris and Patton’s slightly discordant
melodic overlays and licks sail overtop sexy, grooving, ambient riffage that
oozes a “classic hardcore” vibe as Conley’s impressive percussive display and
Sheridan’s grooving undertones steadily pound away at your eardrums. Marzluf
showcases his harsh, raw high screams overtop his rich mid screams, granting
his vocal delivery a truer sense of urgency and emotional depth. The tirade of
emotional urgency and somber instrumentation takes a downturn into a gorgeous
set of sorrowful strummed notes against a gentle weeping piano medley, which
quickly fades into the breathtaking, lingering sorrow of the piano before
fading into a silence that will leave you emotionally distraught and begging
for more.
Overall, Until Yesterday has successfully created one of the
most emotionally devastating melodic hardcore albums of this year. What makes
this album truly exceptional is the amount of raw energy, emotion, and passion
that is poured into every track and ultimately connects the album as a cohesive whole. The dynamicity between each musician and instrumental element is so
clearly audible in every ear-splitting riff, hit, kick, and scream that it even
remains present in the silence in between each note. We Learn To Live With Ourselves is more than an album, it’s a
musical and emotional standard that most other melodic hardcore bands will find
hard to match.
9.2/10
For Fans Of:
Hundredth, Counterparts, Balance and Composure
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