Labels: Victory
Review by: Nadia Almashoor
I’m having trouble as to describing this release. I am new to Grade. I know nothing about them besides Kyle Bishop (ex Acrid / The Swarm ) is here on vocals. And they’re Candadian. Not that it makes any difference.
Well, I first heard a Grade song on our uni’s radio station and I was very impressed and wrote to Victory about it. And not long after, a 2 song tape sampler came in the mail. And boy, were those 2 songs awesome indeed. Here’s what other people have to say:
“The music defines labels…it’s unlike anything being done today.” – Backseat
Indeed. I agree. Melodic hardcore (almost like Hot Water Music at times and Farside and Kid Dynamite as well) churned together with super screamo vocals. Boy, does Bishop rock. I’m envious.
“Redefining the term emo” – MRR
What the…?! Emo was never defined in the first place! However, there some songs on here that are “emo”, especially ‘For The Memory of Love’, ‘When Something Goes To Your Head’ and ‘Second Chance At First Place’ (one of my favourites) And there’s a track called ‘Victims of Mathematics’ which brilliantly made me recall how I “aced” my recent Maths paper.
Overall, this record is a smooth ride. It explodes well with ‘The Inefficiency Of Emotion’, flows on nicely and departing with ‘Triumph and Tragedy’. Very anthem-ish. I can imagine hardcore kids bopping up and down to this and pounding their fists into the air.
Not bad. Not bad at all.