Labels: Firefly
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Now here’s a band that have rather mutated over the past couple of years! One time Fat Wreck style punkers, Otherwise, have added a bunch of new influences and are now making some rather tasty melodic hardcore, and this five song EP shows that off rather well.
Opener, “September’s Gone” blends in some Leatherface riffs, occasional time changes that aren’t too complex for their own good, and throws in an emo twinkle part for good measure. Vocals, which were always a strong point, and they fit perfectly with this new style too. “Drowned versus Distance” has a stop-starty intro that gives away the fact that they like Braid (or Spy vs Spy, one of the two), and the song progresses in an aggressive poppy fashion. Choppy guitars push things a long and they keep things busy and interesting by varying the melodies. I’m impressed. I was a little worried when “Veil” starts of in a cliched acoustic vein, but luckily they plug the instruments back in again in time for the song to start properly. I think this is a re-working of a song they used to play, which is confusing, but the jittery pace of the Braid style guitar parts and really sound great. Just could have done without the acoustics personally. Finally there is “Day Returns to Night”, a rocky number which switches adeptly from smooth to aggressive very nicely, and “Barely Making Progress” where the vocals even sound like Bob Nanna at the start. Scary. Crunchy and intricate stuff, probably the best track on here I reckon.
Very solid record. Ok, so it’s nothing ground breaking or extraordinary, but it’s better than a lot of the stuff being peddled out in the UK.