Get Back UpThank you Buffalo for spawning such a great band. Seriously, I thought I was getting a bit burnt out by the melodically tinged brand of hardcore. Since the emergence of bands like Have Heart, this style of hardcore seems to be extremely popular, well at least to these senses. Even though you can vaguely compare these guys to Have Heart and the Rivalry Records roster, these guys have a little bit more of a bite than what you would expect. I know when I first saw the name and layout I was expecting something too posi for my liking.
The first time I listened to this album I was pretty impressed from a purely musical standpoint. But before I go any further, I keep seeing people referring to this as a full length but it isn't. First off, there are 9 songs which doesn't usually count as a full length unless you're a band that consistently writes 4-5 minute songs, and second this CD contains the 4 song 7, " "Symptoms of Failure", which was also released by Organized Crime Records. So that's five songs (most don't break the 2 minute mark), an EP plus a bonus. But back to how impressed I was with this musically; the songs are definitely melodic and can be compared to a majority of melodic hardcore bands out now, but with just one difference that helps separate these guys, the songs have some pretty hard breaks and mosh parts when you take into consideration the framework of modern melodic hardcore. Also, the vocals are extremely strong. They are barked out with a slightly strained shout which makes it easy for the listener to decipher the lyrics. With the music being slightly on the melodic side, yet still incorporating some heavier aspects the vocals fit in perfectly for either-or.
For me the main selling point for me with these band were the lyrics. There are too many bands of this style to not take into consideration the lyrics and overall aesthetic. As soon as I heard the song "An Empty Sky", which is about people who look for help from above rather than themselves. I guess you could sum it up with the maxim from Benjamin Franklin's line in Poor Richards Almanac, "God helps those who help themselves". Couldn't agree more fellas. Just as I said earlier, I was expecting something much more posi and while there is an undercurrent of positiveness, the lyrics maintain a much more bleak outlook. It seems easy enough but balancing out pessimism and optimism is not easy. These guys do it well however.
I like the layout of the album yet I don't like the front cover, which doesn't make too much sense I know. The front cover is nothing more than a picture of a guys back with yellow walls with some contrasts and cracks in the photo and I'm assuming the guy is sitting in his house "weathering the storm". I do, however, like how the lyrics are displayed over a body of water with a cloudy sky. I guess you could say I don't like the execution of the design but I do like the idea behind it.
Rating: 3.8/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: An Escape and Years Away
Synopsis: If you like the roster of Rivalry Records, Have Heart, Gorilla Biscuits, Carry On, etc, etc., then definitely check these cats out. Very well done guys.