Labels: Wakusei
Review by: Martin Brown
One of the new whippersnapper bands tyking their way up the Disraelian greasy pole that is the UK punk scene; I saw Soon The Darkness play their first show last year, and they’ve gone from strength to strength since. In the UK scene youngish bands are always stamped with trademark comparisons – Eighty Six started out with the Jawbreaker references firmly on their sleeves, until people started saying they sound like Pezz too, purely cos the Pezz and Jawbreaker sound so similar and everyone was bored with using the latter. Blocko have been called Blockoli and Broco enough times, and if I have to hear that Rollins Black Flag comparison with Dead Inside one more time. Likewise Soon The Darkness have had the following bands follow their press like albatrosses with a penchant for screamo: Frail, Ordination of Aaron, Indian Summer, and City of Caterpillar. However, as with most cases, Soon The Darkness have really got their act together with time, and are now producing things which whilst not dissimilar to the aforementioned bands have enough of an individual stamp on them to warrant praise for originality. Their jam is scream-laden, dynamic music and they do it well. 3 songs are offered up on this (be quick and catch the limited edition) red/black spatter vinyl slab. ‘Kinetic’ is a good, solid opener, but it’s the 2nd side that things get really good. ‘Fire in the Eyes’ was a good demo and the vocals have tightened up, the song’s become faster and the whole thing sounds a lot better. The last track ‘A Sudden Disorder’ wins the ‘angstiest song’ award, with a damn impressive finale. A treat live (only band I’ve seen to play my local venue and have their singer chided for swinging on the lights!), and a nice bunch of chaps, you want this. You’ll also find a couple of Collective team members on the thank you list! One of the best UK bands out there already, and as I said to Simon, it gets points for having the word ‘tibia’ on the cover. Buy the record and see this word in its full glorious context.