Labels: Deathwish
Review by: Alex Deller
Soon as the press release for this lot dropped through the e-letterbox I was sending Andy M a sarky email because (a) one of the lads is wearing dungarees like he’s 90s Snapcase and (b) they’re described as embodying “the heart and soul of what many define as true-blue screamo.” With that all sloshing around I went into this with teeth bared and claws out, but it’s actually pretty solid: spindly, twinkly, raw-throated stuff that owes a fair bit to the likes of Saetia and Funeral Diner. While that’s all fine, it’s another comparison that loses Frail Body a couple of points – La Quiete, whose carefully-studied form and controlled dynamism I could never fully engage with. As it stands ‘A Brief Memoriam’ is an enjoyable blast played with passion and talent, but it would be kinda cool to hear them loosen their top button and go full-tilt bonkers at some point, rather than hewing so neatly to the familiar screamo template.Â